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Flashcards in Forensic Aspects of Trauma Deck (7)
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1
Q

How do you classify injury?

A

Appearance or method of causation - abrasion, contusion, laceration, incised wounds, gunshot wounds, burns

Manner of causation - suicidal, accidental, homocidal

Nature of injury - blunt force, sharp force, explosive

2
Q

What are contusions?

A

Burst blood vessels in the skin

3
Q

What are abrasions?

A

Scraping of the skin surface

4
Q

What are lacerations?

A

Tear / split of the skin due to crushing

5
Q

What are factors affecting prominence of bruises?

A
  • Skin pigmentation
  • Depth and location – occur more readily over loose skin – eyebrow, scrotum
  • Fat - ↑ subcut fat = bruise more easily
  • Age - Children – skin loose and delicate
  • Elderly - blood vessels of skin poorly supported
  • Resilient areas – buttocks, abdomen – bruise less easily with given impact than areas with underlying bone which acts as an anvil with skin between bone and inflicting object
  • Coagulative disorders – thrombocytopenia, Von Willebrand’s disease, haemophilia, liver disease (alcoholics), bone marrow disease
6
Q

What is the difference between a stab wound and an incised wound?

A

Incised wound = superficial sharp force injury caused by slashing motion, longer on the skin surface than it is deep

Stab wound = Penetrating injury resulting from thrusting motion, wound depth is greater than the length on the surface

7
Q
A