Forensic aspects of trauma Flashcards

1
Q

How is injury defined?

A

Physical harm or damage to someone’s body caused by an accident or an attack due to application of mechanical force

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2
Q

What are the 4 main types of injury?

A

Compression
Traction
Torsion
Shearing

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3
Q

What determines the resultant damage from injury?

A

Type of mechanical insult AND nature of target tissue

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4
Q

What are the broad classification of injury?

A

Appearance or method of causation
Manner of causation
Nature of injury

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5
Q

What are different types of method of causation of injury?

A
Abrasion
Contusion
Laceration
Incised wounds
Gunshot wounds
Burns
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6
Q

What are different manners of causation of injury?

A

Suicidal/self inflicted
Accidental
Homicidal

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7
Q

What are different natures of injury?

A

Blunt force
Sharp force
Explosive

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8
Q

What type of injuries does blunt force cause?

A

Contusions
Abrasions
Lacerations

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9
Q

What are contusions?

A

Bruises - burst blood vessels in skin

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10
Q

What are abrasions?

A

Grazes and scratches - scraping of skin surface

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11
Q

What are lacerations?

A

Cut/tear/split of the skin due to crushing

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12
Q

What are examples contusion patterns?

A

Tramline bruising

Fingertip bruises

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13
Q

What factors affect prominence of contusion?

A

Skin pigmentation
Depth
Location
Fat - higher subcutaneous fat = easier bruising
Age
Resilient areas - buttocks and abdomen bruise less easily
Coagulative disorders

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14
Q

What causes sharp force injury?

A

Injury caused by weapons with a sharp cutting edge ie a knife

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15
Q

What is an incised wound?

A

Superficial sharp force injury caused by slashing - longer on ski surface than deep

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16
Q

What is a stab wound?

A

Penetrating injury resulting from thrusting motion - more deep than long

17
Q

What are defensive type injuries?

A

Injuries caused by victim defending themselves

18
Q

What is passive defensive injury?

A

Victim raises arms and legs for protection - sliced, shelved often with skin flaps over backs of hands and forearms

19
Q

What is active defensive injury?

A

Victim tries to grab weapon or attackers hand - sliced shelved incised wounds on palmer aspect of hands and web spaces between fingers, particularly between thumb and index

20
Q

What causes traumatic subarachnoid haemorrhage?

A

Sudden unexpected twisting movement causing rupture of vessels

21
Q

What is diffuse brain injury?

A

Diffuse axonal injury - immediate and prolonged coma withno apparent mass lesion or metabolic abnormality
Traumatic axonal injury - damaged axons due to trauma