Forensic Aspects of Trauma Flashcards
What are the different ways in which an injury can be classified?
Based on appearance/method of causation
Manner of causation
Nature of injury
What are the blunt force injuries?
Abrasions
Contusions
Lacerations
What is a contusion?
Bruise
Burst blood vessels with intact skin
What is an abrasion?
Scraping of the skin
What is a laceration?
Splitting of the skin due to crushing
How do tramline bruises form?
Tramline bruises are caused by a cylindrical object that compresses the area of impact and stretches the adjacent areas, resulting in two parallel lines of bruises with a spared area in the middle
What factors affect bruise prominence?
Depth and location (occur more readily over loose skin)
- Fat (increase in subcutaneous fat results in easier bruising)
- Age (children and elderly bruise easily)
- Resilient areas (buttocks, abdomen- bruise less easily than areas with underlying bone)
- Coagulative disorders (liver disease/alcoholics)
How do lacerations occur?
Usually high impact injuries
Usually over bony prominences
Tissue bridges definitive of a laceration
Ragged edges
What are the different sharp force injuries?
Stab wounds
Incision wounds
What is an incised wound?
Superficial sharp force injury caused by slashing motion that is longer on the skin surface than it is deep
What is a stab wound?
Penetrating injury resulting from thrusting motion that is deeper than it is long on the skin surface
What is the difference between active and passive defensive type injuries?
Passive- victim raises arms/legs for defence
Active- victim grabs weapon/attacker
Where are self inflicted injuries most common?
Wrists Forearms Chest Abdomen Throat
What do consequences of an injury depend on?
- Type of mechanical insult
- Nature of target tissue
- Forces involved
- Number of impacts
What suggests a post mortem injury?
Parchmentation
Lack of vital reaction
