Department of Department of ForensicForensic Medicine Medicine Faculty of MedicineFaculty of Medicine
Hradec KrHradec Kráálovlovéé
WoundsWounds
WoundsWounds::BBasicasic CClassificationlassification
nn BruisesBruises ((ecchymosesecchymoses))nn AbrasionsAbrasionsnn LacerationsLacerationsnn IncisionIncision woundswoundsnn PuncturePuncture woundswoundsnn CutCut woundswoundsnn Bite Bite woundswoundsnn Gunshot Gunshot woundswounds
Sharp Sharp IInjuriesnjuries
nn IncisIncisionion woundswounds –– vulnus vulnus scissumscissumnn PuncturPuncturee woundswounds –– vulnus punctumvulnus punctumnn CutCut woundswounds –– vulnus vulnus sectumsectumnn Bite Bite woundswounds –– vulnus vulnus morsummorsum
IncisIncisionion WWoundsounds
nn CutsCuts, , slashesslashes, , vulnusvulnus scissumscissum
nn DefinitionDefinition: caused by a s: caused by a sharpharp--edgededged instrumentinstrumentnn May May bebe selfself--inflictedinflicted, , due to due to assaultassault, , accidentalaccidental
IncisIncisionion WWounds ounds -- featuresfeatures
nn ShapeShape, , gapgapppingingnn DimensionDimensionssnn EdgesEdgesnn No No tissuetissue bridgesbridges oror abrasions of abrasions of marginsmarginsnn JaggedJagged ifif inflictedinflicted throughthrough looseloose,, foldedfolded skinskinnn LessLess dangerousdangerous thanthan stabstab woundswoundsnn ProfuseProfuse bleedingbleeding, , infectioninfection
The The CCauseause of of DDeatheath
nn ProfuseProfuse bbleedingleedingnn AirAir embolismembolism ((ii.e. vena .e. vena jugjug. . externaexterna))nn AsphyxiationAsphyxiation due todue to bloodblood aspirationaspirationnn MechanicalMechanical asphyxiaasphyxia duedue to to obstructionobstruction of of airair
passagespassages
SuicideSuicide
nn ThereThere are are certaincertain typicaltypical sisittes of es of incisionincision!!!!!!nn The The clothesclothes fromfrom the the placeplace of of incisionincision are are
removedremovednn OtherOther woundswounds in in surroundingsurrounding areasareas ((duedue to to fearfear, ,
test of test of painfullnesspainfullness, , parallelparallel oror crossingcrossing patternpattern) ) = = tentativetentative incisionsincisions
nn The weapon The weapon cancan bebe foundfound besidebeside the the suicidersuicidernn No marks of No marks of defencedefence on on handshands and and armsarms
AccidentalAccidental
nn UssualyUssualy onlyonly oneone cutcutnn May May occuroccur in in anyany region (mostregion (mostlyly on on handshands))nn OftenOften deepdeep and and forcefulforceful
PenetrPenetraating ting WWoundsounds
nn StabStab, , puncturpuncturee woundswounds, , vulnus punctumvulnus punctum
nn DefinitionDefinition: c: causedaused by by bluntblunt oror sharpsharplyly pointedpointedobjectsobjects
PenetratingPenetrating WWoundsounds
nn PenetratPenetrationion –– passespasses intointo butbut not not throughthrough an an organorgan
nn PerforatiPerforationon –– passespasses intointo and and throughthrough anan organ organ ((therethere isis a point ofa point of exit)exit)
nn WeWe cancan use for use for descriptiondescription alsoalso combinations combinations such as:such as: perforatingperforating--laceratlacerationion, , penetratipenetratinngg--incisincisionion etcetc..
nn May May bebe homicidalhomicidal, , suicidalsuicidal and and accidentalaccidental
PenetratingPenetrating WWoundsounds
nn LinearLinear oror irregularirregular accordingaccording to to naturenature of of weaponweapon
nn DepthDepth x x LengthLengthnn EdgesEdgesnn HaemorHaemorrrhagehage –– deep deep vesselsvesselsnn InfectionInfectionnn BruisingBruising rarelyrarely presentpresentnn OneOne openingopening, , butbut twotwo oror more more trackstracks
Single edged blade
nature of blade
direction of the thrust
movement of the blade in the wound
movement of the individual stabbed
relaxation or tension of the skin
Cause of Cause of DDeatheath
nn BleedingBleeding and and haemorrhagichaemorrhagic shockshocknn BleedingBleeding intointo body body cavitiescavities ((hemothoraxhemothorax, ,
hemopericardhemopericardiumium))nn Injury of a Injury of a vitalvital organorgannn FollowingFollowing fatal fatal infectioninfection
StabbingStabbing isis the most the most commoncommon methodmethod of of homicidehomicide in the in the CzechCzech RRepublicepublic
Chop Chop WWoundsounds
nn CausedCaused by by axeaxe--likelike weaponsweapons and and objectsobjects, these , these instrumentsinstruments maymay bebe sharp sharp oror bluntblunt
nn VeryVery similarsimilar to to incisincisionion woundswoundsnn May May bebe homicidalhomicidal, , accidentalaccidental, , selfself--inflictedinflicted, ,
suicidalsuicidal
CutCut WWoundsounds
nn ShapeShape, , oftenoften gapgapppingingnn DimensionDimensionnn EdgesEdgesnn BruiseBruise oror abrasion abrasion cancan bebe seenseennn BleedingBleeding, , infectioninfectionnn ContusionContusion, fractures, , fractures, amputationamputation
Cause of Cause of DDeatheath
nn ContusionsContusions of of internalinternal organsorgans ((especiallyespecially brainbrain))nn BleedingBleeding
Bite Bite WWoundsounds
nn IrIrrregularegularnn VariesVaries in in dimensiondimensionnn EdgeEdges s are are irregularirregularnn INFECTION, SCARINFECTION, SCARRRINGINGnn POSTMORTAL BITPOSTMORTAL BITESES by by dogsdogs, , catscats, , ratsrats
BluntBlunt IInjuriesnjuries
nn LaceratLacerationion woundswoundsnn BruisesBruises, , contusionscontusionsnn AbrasionsAbrasions
LaceratLacerationion WWoundsounds(gashes, cuts)
nn DefinitionDefinition: : a a splittingsplitting oror tearingtearing woundwound causedcaused byby aa bluntbluntinjury injury ⇔⇔ passespasses throughthrough the the fullfull thicknessthickness of the skinof the skin
nn ProducedProduced by by movingmoving weaponsweapons oror objectsobjects, , oror by a by a fallfall ((commoncommon on the on the scalpscalp, face, , face, elbowselbows, , kneesknees, , distaldistal limbslimbs; ; lessless commoncommon inin soft soft areasareas))
nn May May bebe accidentalaccidental, , due to due to assaultassault oror selfself--inflictedinflicted ((selfself--inflictedinflicted are are uncommonuncommon))
nn RollingRolling oror grindinggrinding movementmovement maymay alsoalso cause cause lacerationlaceration
LaceratLacerationion WWoundsounds
nn ShapeShapenn EdgesEdges ((raggedragged, , sometimessometimes sharp; sharp; zonezone of of crcruushingshing and and brubruiisingsing))
nn TissueTissue bridgesbridgesnn ForeignForeign materialmaterialnn DimensionsDimensionsnn HaemorHaemorrrhagehagenn BruisingBruising commonlycommonly presentpresent
BruiseBruise
nn CausedCaused by by bluntbluntimpactimpact
nn The The bloodblood leaksleaks fromfrom smallsmallveinsveins and and arteriolesarterioles
nn RecognitionRecognition ofof bruisebruise of of markmarkeedlydly differentdifferent colourscolours in in the the samesame personperson!!
EcchymosesEcchymoses, , petechiaepetechiae, are , are rarelyrarely duedueto to directdirect trauma, trauma, butbut duedue to to venousvenousengorgengorgeement ment oror defectsdefects in BCin BC
BruiseBruise
nn ItIt isis a a vitalvital injuryinjurynn Postmortem Postmortem onlyonly by severe by severe violenceviolence in in areasareas of of
deepdeep hypostasishypostasisnn DeepDeep bruisingbruising maymay taketake somesome weeksweeks to to vanishvanish
Abrasions Abrasions ((scratchscratch, , grazegraze))
nn SuperficialSuperficial injury (the mostinjury (the most commoncommon))nn ConfinedConfined to epidermisto epidermisnn The most The most informativeinformative of all of all injuriesinjuries
TheyThey consistconsist of of numerousnumerous linearlinear abrasions and abrasions and maymay covercover considerableconsiderable area of area of skin.skin.
AbrasionsAbrasionsnn Brush abrasionsBrush abrasionsnn Crushing abrasionsCrushing abrasionsnn Patterned abrasionsPatterned abrasionsnn Ligature mark, fingernail abrasionsLigature mark, fingernail abrasionsnn Postmortem abrasionsPostmortem abrasions
FrictionFriction BBurnurn
nn ExtensiveExtensive, , superficialsuperficialnn ReddenedReddened, , excoriatedexcoriated areaareann LittleLittle oror no no linearlinear marksmarksnn WhenWhen the skin the skin isis protectedprotected by by clothingclothing
HealingHealing of abrasionof abrasion
nn ScabScab formationformationnn EpithelialEpithelial regenerationregenerationnn SubepithelialSubepithelial granulationgranulation and and epithelialepithelial
hyperplasiahyperplasiann RegenertionRegenertion of of epithleliumepithlelium and and granulationgranulation
tissuetissue