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

Tentative incisions

Grasping of the weapon

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

Visible hilt mark

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

Intraepidermal bleeding

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

Abrasion

Patterned abrasion

Patterned abrasion

Hanging

Postmortem abrasion

HealingHealing of abrasionof abrasion

nn ScabScab formationformationnn EpithelialEpithelial regenerationregenerationnn SubepithelialSubepithelial granulationgranulation and and epithelialepithelial

hyperplasiahyperplasiann RegenertionRegenertion of of epithleliumepithlelium and and granulationgranulation

tissuetissue

The The EEndnd