Forensic Pathology

Question 1

Post Mortem Changes include…

Answer 1

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)

Question 2

How are slits and gapping wounds made from the same stabbing weapon?

Answer 2

Langer’s lines. If cut is made along the langer;s line it will remain thin. If perpindicular it will be gaping

Question 3

What is the difference between cause and manner of death?

Answer 3

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)

Question 4

What kind of manner of death are most physicians allowed to declare?

Answer 4

Natural

Question 5

How do you tell between sharp for injuries and Lacerations (blunt force trauma)?

Answer 5

Sharp force are non-abraded, non-contused, crisp clean and sharp

BFT is irregular, ragged, traumatic ripping of the skin

Question 6

What is a homicide wound pattern look like?

Answer 6

Multiple wounds, defense wounds usually, over vital areas but also haphazard. No hesitation wounds.

Question 7

What is a suicide wound pattern look like?

Answer 7

A single wound with deep penetration over something vital. Hesitation wounds and not defense wounds. Clothing is usually pulled aside.

Question 8

What is a Accidental wound pattern look like?

Answer 8

Usually one on any site with maybe a defense wound and no hesitation.

Question 9

A j-shaped pattern can determine the handedness of a killer?

Answer 9

The longer side is the handedness.

Question 10

How do you tell the age of a contusion?

Answer 10

Any color other than yellow is less than 24 hours.

Yellow means greater than 24 hours

Question 11

Pulmonary lacerations caused by broken ribs can cause what?

Answer 11

pneumothorax

Question 12

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?

Answer 12

Contre-coup injury

Question 13

What type of injury will cause a aortic transection?

Answer 13

Traumatic blunt force trauma such as in a MVA

Question 14

Most liver damage occurs in which lobe?

Answer 14

Right lobe because of it is 5x the size of the left lobe

Question 15

What is the speed at which bumper fractures/inguinal striae occur?

Answer 15

Bumbper fractures > 25mph

Inguinal striae >59mph

Question 16

What is the definition of suffocation?

Answer 16

Asphyxiation without compression

either entrapement/environmental
smothering (external airway)
Chocking (internal airway)
Mechnical (positional, compressional)

Question 17

Hyoid bones is fractured 95% of what type of strangulation?

Answer 17

Manual Strangulation

Question 18

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?

Answer 18

Hanging asphyxia

Question 19

How can death be attributed due to a fire as opposed to before it?

Answer 19

Soot in trachea

Question 20

(Extra) What is asphyxia?

Answer 20

Pathological changes caused by lack of oxygen in respired air, resulting in hypoxia and hypercapnia (higher CO2)

Question 21

(Extra) What is strangulation?

Answer 21

The external application of forceful pressure to the neck, resulting in unconsciousness.

Either manual or ligature

Question 22

(Extra) What pressures are required to occlude neck structures: Jugular veins, Carotids and trachea?

Answer 22

Jugular veins = 4.4 psi
Carotid = 11 psi
Trachea = 33 psi

Question 23

Thermal induced skin splitting?

Answer 23

Shrinking of muscles and steam produced creating perfect splitting of the skin along the Langer’s lines

Question 24

What fact about household electrical burns is important to remember?

Answer 24

50% of low voltage electrocutions DO NOT show evidence of electrical burn

Question 25

What is true about hypothermia induced death?

Answer 25

50% involve alcohol

Question 26

What is the difference between entrance and exit rifle wounds?

Answer 26

Entrance wounds are round oval with an absence of tissue and rim of abrasion.

Exit wounds can be reapproximated

Question 27

What is true about gunshot wounds greater than 2 feet?

Answer 27

At any distance they fundamentally all appear the same

Question 28

Which fans out first soot or powder?

Answer 28

soot (smoke) is first

Question 29

Contact shotgun wounds do what?

Answer 29

Explode tissue