Forensic Pathology Flashcards
Post Mortem Changes include…
All of the above Algor Mortis (cooling), Rigor Mortis (stiffening), Livor mortis (settling of blood), Tache noire (drying of conjunctiva),
Decomposition (autolysis & Putrefaction)
Mummification
Adipocere
Anthropophagy is a type of External Putrefaction (maggots, insects, animals)
How are slits and gapping wounds made from the same stabbing weapon?
Langer’s lines. If cut is made along the langer;s line it will remain thin. If perpindicular it will be gaping
What is the difference between cause and manner of death?
Cause of death is what got the ball rolling; the proximate cause (Christopher Reve’s C1).
Manner of death is the circumstances that can be homicide, suicide, accident, natural, or undetermined (Reve’s fell and was accidental)
What kind of manner of death are most physicians allowed to declare?
Natural
How do you tell between sharp for injuries and Lacerations (blunt force trauma)?
Sharp force are non-abraded, non-contused, crisp clean and sharp
BFT is irregular, ragged, traumatic ripping of the skin
What is a homicide wound pattern look like?
Multiple wounds, defense wounds usually, over vital areas but also haphazard. No hesitation wounds.
What is a suicide wound pattern look like?
A single wound with deep penetration over something vital. Hesitation wounds and not defense wounds. Clothing is usually pulled aside.
What is a Accidental wound pattern look like?
Usually one on any site with maybe a defense wound and no hesitation.
A j-shaped pattern can determine the handedness of a killer?
The longer side is the handedness.
How do you tell the age of a contusion?
Any color other than yellow is less than 24 hours.
Yellow means greater than 24 hours
Pulmonary lacerations caused by broken ribs can cause what?
pneumothorax
What type of injury is due to a moving cranium hitting a stationary object and an injury to the opposite side of the brain to the superficial injury?
Contre-coup injury
What type of injury will cause a aortic transection?
Traumatic blunt force trauma such as in a MVA
Most liver damage occurs in which lobe?
Right lobe because of it is 5x the size of the left lobe
What is the speed at which bumper fractures/inguinal striae occur?
Bumbper fractures > 25mph
Inguinal striae >59mph
What is the definition of suffocation?
Asphyxiation without compression
either entrapement/environmental
smothering (external airway)
Chocking (internal airway)
Mechnical (positional, compressional)
Hyoid bones is fractured 95% of what type of strangulation?
Manual Strangulation
What type of compressive asphyxia present with the following: petechia, intense purple coloration of skin, vertical furrowing, not a complete surrounding ligation, not necessarily suspended?
Hanging asphyxia
How can death be attributed due to a fire as opposed to before it?
Soot in trachea
(Extra) What is asphyxia?
Pathological changes caused by lack of oxygen in respired air, resulting in hypoxia and hypercapnia (higher CO2)
(Extra) What is strangulation?
The external application of forceful pressure to the neck, resulting in unconsciousness.
Either manual or ligature
(Extra) What pressures are required to occlude neck structures: Jugular veins, Carotids and trachea?
Jugular veins = 4.4 psi
Carotid = 11 psi
Trachea = 33 psi
Thermal induced skin splitting?
Shrinking of muscles and steam produced creating perfect splitting of the skin along the Langer’s lines
What fact about household electrical burns is important to remember?
50% of low voltage electrocutions DO NOT show evidence of electrical burn
What is true about hypothermia induced death?
50% involve alcohol
What is the difference between entrance and exit rifle wounds?
Entrance wounds are round oval with an absence of tissue and rim of abrasion.
Exit wounds can be reapproximated
What is true about gunshot wounds greater than 2 feet?
At any distance they fundamentally all appear the same
Which fans out first soot or powder?
soot (smoke) is first
Contact shotgun wounds do what?
Explode tissue
