Forensic Aspects Of Trauma Flashcards
what is a resultant damage from an injury dependent on?
Mechanical insult and
Nature of target tissue
What are the 3 classifications of injury?
Method of causation,
Manner of causation,
Nature of injury
Classification of manner of causation of injury’s?
Suicidal,
Accidental,
Homicidal
Nature of injury classifications?
Blunt force,
Sharp force,
Explosive
Blunt force injuries classes?
Contusions,
Abrasions,
lacerations
What is a contusion?
A bruise
Burst blood vessels in skin
What is an abrasion?
Graze, scratch
Scraping of skin surface
What is a laceration?
Cut, tear,
Tear/ split of skin due to crushing
Examples of tips of patterned bruisers?
Tramline,
Finger tip
Factors that affect prominence of contusions
Skin pigmentation,
Depth and locations (more readily over loose skin),
Increased subcutaneous fat (increase bruising),
Age (elderly and child),
Resilient areas,
Coagulative disorders (thrombocytopenia, Von Willebrands disease, liver disease, bone marrow disease)
Sharp force injuries classes?
Incised wounds,
Stab wounds
Define an incised wound
Superficial sharp force injury caused by slashing motion
Longer on skin surface than deep
Define a stab wound
Penetrating injury resulting from thrusting motion,
Wound depth greater than length on the surface
Defensive type injury classes
Passive,
Active
Passive defensive injury descriptions
Victim raises arm and legs for protection,
Sliced, shelved often with skin flaps over backs of hands and forearms
Active defensive type injury description
Victim tries to grab weapon or attackers hand,
Sliced shelved incised wounds on palmer aspects of hands and web spaces between fingers- particularly between thumb and index finger
Characteristics on self inflicted injuries?
Sharp force,
Site- wrists, forearms, chest, abdomen,
Parallel, multiple and tentative incisions
What are consequences of an injury dependent on?
Type of mechanical injury,
Nature of target tissue,
Forces involved,
Number of impacts
Outcome of volume of blood loss 35ml from head injury?
Symptomatic- irritability, n/v
Outcome of bleeding 40-50ml from head injury
Clinical deterioration,
Life threatening q
Outcome of bleeding 80-100ml from head injury
Commonly fatal due to increased ICP and herniation
Outcome of bleeding 150ml+ from head injury
Fatal
What blood vessel causes extramural haemorrhage?
Middle meninges artery
What blood vessels cause subdues haemorrhage?
Bridging veins
