Sharp Force Injuries Flashcards
Name two typs of SFI?
- Incised wounds (cuts, slashes)
2. Puncture wounds (stabs)
“clean division of the full thickness of the skin or tissue under the pressure of a sharp edged instrument”
Incision
What type of wound is a paper cut?
Incised
What can dicing injuries ndicate?
Location in vehicle
When might you get irregular ragged margins with incised wounds?
Glass
Skin folds
Can you identify weapon in incised injuries?
Almost impossible
Chop wounds: are they longer than are deep?
Yes
Defn: “Penetrating injury caused by separation of the skin and tissues under the pressure of a sharp or blunt pointed instrument”, or
“a small hole made with a sharp point”
Stab wound
Sharp & flat (e.g. knife)
stab
Sharp & thin (e.g. needle)
needle puncture wound
Blunt, long & rigid (e.g. spike, screwdriver)
puncture wound
Extremely common in homicide
Stab wounds
What might examination of a stab wound provide information on?
Weapon: dimensions, type, taper, movement, deptth of insertion, direction of insertion and amount of force used
What causes stab wounds to gape?
Contraction of elastic fibres within the skin
What causes stab wounds to appear smaller than with blade in situ?
Elastic retraction of the skin
What distorts the appearance of wounds?
Langer lines
What shape of wound do single-edged blades make?
Boat shaped
What kind of knife gives fine v-pointed end?
Sharp cutting knife
What kind of knife gives squared off or rounded end?
Blunt back edge
What kind of knife gives split “fish-tailed” end?
Heavy/thick blade
What kind of knife gives RAGGED END?
Serrated/hunting knife
If both edges of stab wound are squared off or rounded what does that mean?
Knife insreted to the ricasso
If both ends of srab wound reach a fine-vshaped point what does it mean?
Sharp cutting edge
Shark-fin skin tags along wound edges
Parallel scratch abrasions
Striated cuts on cartilage
Serrateed blade: No definitive way of distinguishing from serrated glass fragments
