a bruise that results from hemorrhage into soft tissue due to rupture of subcutaneous blood vessels by blunt force injury Can be found on skin and within deep viscera, no break in epidermis/outer layer

Introduction to Forensics Flashcards by Liz Pennington

What is the purpose of beetles Forensic Entomology?

Beetles come after flies

Early arrivers (rove and carrion beetles) eat the immature flies

Late arrivers (hide beetles) eat the dried cadaver flesh

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in terms of the types of “mortises” what is the order from first to last?

Heart stops

Blood collects in dependent locations (Livor Mortis)

Body stiffens (Rigor Mortis)

Body cools (Algor Mortis)

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How does body temperature and stiffness play a role in determining time of death?

warm + not stiff = less than three hours

warm + stiff = 3-8 hours

cold + stiff = 8-36 hours

cold + not stiff = greater than 36 hours

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What are the three main types of decomposition?

Putrefactive

Adipocere Formation

Mummification

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What is the role of the medical examiner?

To assign the cause of death

To render an opinion as to the matter of death

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What is NOT the focus of a forensic examination?

The focus is NOT examinations of natural death (other than to rule out/observe discernible signs) or consider circumstances in terms of the probability of foul play/unnatural death, or contributions thereof

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What are types of mechanical force injuries?

abrasions

contusions

incise wounds

gunshot wounds

blast injury

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What are the types of thermal injuries?

burns

hyperthermia (heat cramps/exhaustion/stroke)

hypothermia

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What are the types of electrical injuries?

What are two other categories of injuries?

varies

includes low and high intensity

ionizing radiation

atmospheric pressure (decompression p128R)

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What are the pros and cons of ionization radiation?

Pros:

treat cancer

diagnostic imaging

therapeutic/diagnositc imaging

Cons:

fibrosis

mutagenesis

carcinogenesis

teratogenesis

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What is the dose-related response to total body irradiation?

Exposure to radiation of large areas even in small doses can cause problems

Doses less than 1Sv produce minimal sx

higher doses can cause acute radiation syndromes

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What are the sx of acute radiation syndromes?

damage to hematopoietic, GI and CNS

hematopoietic and lymphoid systems are EXTREMELY susceptible

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How is cause of death documented on a death certificate?

(Immediate) cause of death (mechanism)

due to

(proximate) cause of death

Manner of death

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Is cardiorespiratory arrest ever a legitimate cause of death?

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What are the three types of blunt force trauma?

abrasion

contusion

laceration

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What is the wounding formula?

W = E x 1/T x 1/A x K

K = modifying factors (elasticity of the striking object or tissue being injured)

E = Energy transferred (1/2MV^2)

T = Period of energy transfer (time)

A = Area of application of force

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Define a Contusion

a bruise that results from hemorrhage into soft tissue due to rupture of subcutaneous blood vessels by blunt force injury

Can be found on skin and within deep viscera, no break in epidermis/outer layer

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The extent/severity of a contusion depends on what five factors?

amount of force applied
vascularity of tissue
type of tissue injured (loose/thin)
location of the tissue (over bone, etc)
easy bruisability (old age, etc)

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What color of a contusion is the best for aging an injury?

yellow-indicates that bruis is 18 hours or older

blue/purple/red do not help in aging

brown is just a mix of colors-not helpful

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Define Abrasion

an abrasion is a wound in which the epidermis is injured. It is produced by friction scraping away epidermis or crushing of the epidermis by direct pressure or a blow tangential to the surface.

(typically oozes, doesn’t normally bleed; heals via scab)

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What are the three types of abrasion?

brush (grazing/sliding motion with rolled margins opposite direction of force)
impact abrasion
patterned abrasion (recapitulation of the surface appearance of the injurious agent)

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Define stab

A stab wound is a sharp fore injury in which the depth of the wound track is greater than the length of the wound on the skin (deeper than longer). It is produced when an instrument with a pointed edge is thrust into the body or the body falls on the pointed edge.

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What are some stabbing instruments?

Study These Flashcards

knives, scissors, screw drivers, forks, BBQ forks (oddly specific)

note- an ice pick may appear as a small caliber firearm but won’t have bullent in soft tissue or typical exit wound

What are some types of guns (idk if this is high yield, but i also don’t know anything about guns)

Study These Flashcards

Long guns: bolt/lever, semiauto, auto

Smooth bores

hand guns: revolvers, semiauto

What is the salient wounding formula for guns/projectiles?

KE = 1/2m x v^2 **Velocity** is more important than mass

What would you expect to find at the entry wound of a contact/close range

marginal abrasion; soot/powder in depths of wound

What would you expect to find at the entry wound of an intermediate range gunshot injury?

marginal abrasion, powder tattooing/stippling around wound

What would you expect to find at the entry site of a distant range gunshot wound?

marginal abrasion, no powder tattooing/stippling, no soot/powder in depths of wound

What does a entry wound look like in the outer table and inner table of the skull? What about exit wounds?

outer table: sharply circumscribed inner tabled: beveled exit wounds are the exact opposite

What can we say about entery/exit wounds in terms of hand guns (low veolcity) vs. long guns (high velocity)?

low velocity- small entry, no or small exit high velocity- relatively small entry, big exit

What is the macro level approach to securing the scene of a mass disaster?

safegaurding (first live, then scene) surveying documenting proper approach to specimen retrieval

What are the micro-level approaches to securing a mass disaster scene?

biologic materials retrieval and transmittal vs. inorganic specimens/substances

What are the five principles for the scene/living in a mass disaster?

1. control 2. survey 3. organize 4. document 5. evidence acquisition/securing

What is the role of the medical examiner in a mass disaster?

bodies recording final (get more details from lecture)

Where does putrifactive decomposition occur? What is the mechanism of spread?

temperate environments, typically outdoors in heat/humidity? Bacteria from RLQ/cecum spreads throughout body turning tissues into liquid/gas very smelly, green/black tissues, hard to exam

Where does adipocere formation decomposition occur?

In water characterized by skin saponification may have tissue eaten by fish

Where does mummification decomposition occur?

dry heat or dry cold tissue dehydrate and are preserved

What is the manner of death? What are the five options for manner of death (acronym)

Manner of death is the ME's opinion on the way the patient died N-Natural A-Accidental S-Suicide H-Homicide U-Undetermined

Who can determine manner of death?

Any liscensed physician can sign a certificate for natural death ME's determine manner of death other than natural

Coroners and MEs are the same True/False?

False A coroner is an elected position and may or may not be a physician (typically not) ME are physicians, typically pathologists

Does the ME have duty to the families of the bodies?

No MEs work for the public, like cops and firemen/women this helps avoid issues with foul play by family members which is statistically concerning.

Why are fewer hospital autopsies done now adays compared to "the good ole days"?

Because of liability (if something was missed by docs/MEs that is found by a teaching autopsy, it would be documented and families could sue) Dr. P's opinion of this is that it is bad because it takes away learning opportunities

If the cause of death appears obvious (like an MVC) why would an autopsy be performed?

To avoid or refute allegations made at a later date

Non-ionizing radiation has a cumulative effect and these body parts are most susceptible

lymph/bone marrow with early -penias testes and ovaries causing destruction of gametes

What age group is at the highest risk of death by Homicide?

15-34 may be related to race/SES

How do we document cause of death on a death certificate? (Example case)

mechanism COD: Massive Hemorrhage due to proximate COD: Gun shot wound to chest Manner of death: Homicide

In what situation would cause of death be unknown? In what situation would manner of death be undetermined?

Autopsies are structural analyses not functional ones, so could miss something physiological Suspicious of foul play but missing facts/evidence to make a claim

What manner of death is SIDS?

In a possible SIDS case, baby should be examined by ME and if there is no evidence of foul play or unexpected cause of death, listed as SIDS, Natural Death

How can we tell who was driver/passenger in a case of a car accident based on dicing injuries?

Driver will have dicing injuries from window glass on left side of face/body and passenger will have dicing injuries on right side of face/body (in an ideal case and in a country with driver on the left)

What is overkill phenomenon?

lots of stabs/injuries typically from someone close to victim/crime of passion

What is a hesitation wound?

like a "practice" wound, often from an inexperienced killer not sure how to inflict the fatal injury

What are examples of defensive wounds?

Lacerations/contusions on hands, forearms, etc from attempting to block an injury

What are some typical suicide injuries?

Wrist/neck lacerations may have suicide note

How does a high speed bullet cause tissue damage?

causes cavitary changes greater in size in the middle of the tissue rather than the entry/exit wound all of that damaged tissue needs to be debrided to avoid necrosis/infection

What is one way to match a bullet with the type of weapon it came from?

Rifling pattern is weapon specific (not present on smooth bore/shot guns)

Introduction to Forensics Flashcards

(55 cards)