Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM


Top Flashcards (Certified)
All Flashcards

Forensic Pathology > Wounding/ injuries > Flashcards

Wounding/ injuries Flashcards

(51 cards)

Start Studying
1
Q

Wound definition

A

Damage to any part of the body due to the application of mechanical force

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

Classification

A

Abrasions – grazes or scratches
Contusions – bruises
Lacerations – cuts or tears
Incised wounds – cuts, slashes or stabs

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

Tangential or Brush Abrasions

A

Caused by lateral rubbing action.

Direction of force: tags of epidermis dragged to the terminal end.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

Crushing Abrasions

A

Vertical force to the skin.

Epidermis is crushed.

Weapon may stamp its shape or surface pattern on the skin (Imprint abrasion)

Bruising under the dermis often is present.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

Fingernail Abrasions

A

Child abuse cases, sexual assaults, and manual strangulation.

Upper arms are a frequent site for gripping and restraint.

Marks may be superimposed

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

Bruises

A

Caused by blunt force trauma.

Leakage of blood from ruptured blood vessels (veins, venules and small arteries) into the surrounding tissue.

Lies beneath the intact epidermis

May be seen in muscles or any internal organs.

Often associated with abrasions and lacerations

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

Movement of bruises

A

May appear away from the point of impact.

Extravasated blood tracks along natural/traumatic planes of least resistance influenced by gravity and body movements.

Blow on temple: Bruise on Cheek
Fractured jaw: Bruising on Neck
Fractured hip: Bruise on thigh
Forehead trauma: Black eye

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

Age and colour changes in bruises

A

Red (fresh) 0-1 day
Bluish brown: 1-3 days
Green: 4-5 days
Yellow: 7-10 days
Disappears: 14-15 days

Degradation of red blood cells in the blood

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

Patterns of bruising

A

Impact with hard, patterned object with ridges and grooves e.g. tyre mark, shoe mark, car bumper, gun muzzle

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

Finger pad bruises

A

Round, oval, larger than finger tips.

Due to gripping by fingertips in forceful restraint

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

Periorbital haematoma (black eye)

A

Blow in the orbit
Fractured skull

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

Suction bruises (love bites)

A

Small petechiae caused by oral suction on the skin

Common on neck and breast in sexual assault.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

Tramline bruises

A

Due to rod shaped weapon or stick

Two parallel lines of bruising with an undamaged zone in the centre

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

Laceration

A

Full thickness tearing of the skin due to blunt trauma.

Typically seen over bony prominences where tissue is crushed against underlying bone

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

Laceration characteristics

A

Ragged edges (torn apart), bulging fat, crushed hair bulbs.

Associated bruising and abrasion of skin edges.

Presence of tissue strands across the wound.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

Why does a laceration sometimes appear to be a incision?

A

Crushing impact of a blunt object on skin supported by bone

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

Determining laceration

A

A laceration can be distinguished by:
Bruising or crushed margins
Bridging (presence of tissue strands across wound including vessels and nerves)
Absence of a sharply linear injury in the underlying bone

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

Incised wounds

A

Injury caused by sharp objects.
Clean division of the full thickness of skin and tissue by sharp edged instruments

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

Characteristics of incised wounds

A

Clean cut
Everted edges
Linear or elliptical shape, often gapes
No tissue bridges

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

Anatomy of skin

A

Epidermis
Dermis
Subcutaneous tissue
Deep fascia
Muscle

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

Cuts and slashes

Study These Flashcards
A

Length is greater than the depth.

Swiping motion rather than a stabbing motion.

Also commonly seen in cases of suicide on the wrists.

Typically they tend to be deepest at point of first insertion and lessen in depth along the length.

22
Q

Self-inflicted cut wounds

Study These Flashcards
A

Commonly seen on:
Wrists, neck, cubital fossa, chest, abdomen, groin

Suicidal cut throat:
Multiple superficial tentative cuts/hesitation marks
Deep cut starting from the left, across the midline, up towards the right ear
Cut slopes upwards and backwards

23
Q

Stab wounds

Study These Flashcards
A

Most common method of homicide.

Depth is greater than the length.

Knives are the weapons most frequently involved

More dangerous than slashed wounds as can penetrate deep into internal organs

24
Q

Description of stab wounds

Study These Flashcards
A

Damage to clothing

Stabs through folds, blood flow, drip pattern

Site in relation to anatomical landmark

Shape

Size: length & width with edges opposed

Direction

Depth and wound track

Damage to tissues along track

Effects: haemorrhage, haemothorax etc.

25
Cleavage lines
Langer`s lines. Direction of collagen fibres Different appearances even when the same blade is used.
26
Movement of the knife in the wound.
Can result in loss of evidence as to the size of the blade. If knife is wiggled, the wound will be longer than if the blade inserted and removed in the same direction. Knife is twisted-V shaped wound will result.
27
Injuries from scissors
Often seen in domestic disturbances. Shape of the wound will differ based on whether the scissor was used open or closed. Typically shaped like a Z
28
Defence wounds
Most obvious are those seen in knife attacks. Fingers, wrists, and forearms Medico-legal significance, as they indicate that the victim was conscious.
29
Head injury
Heaviest part of the body (3-6 kg) Secured only by the tone of the neck muscles and ligaments. Scalp is commonly damaged in trauma that causes injury to underlying skull and brain.
30
Facial injuries
Common injury Usually not life threatening Commonly associated with fatal cranial damage Haemorrhage-aspiration asphyxia Others: Abrasions, bruises, ruptured frenulum Periorbital haematoma (Black Eye)
31
Falls
Combination of injuries can occur Multiple lacerations. Multiple fractures (ribs, arms etc.) Severe abdominal injuries: Rupture of liver, lung, spleen, heart.
32
Intracranial injuries - Extradural (epidural) haemorrhage.
Bleeding between inner surface of skull and dura mater Usually associated with fracture of the skull. (blow to the side of the head) 15% occurs in intact skull. Rupture of Middle meningeal artery
33
Intracranial injuries - Subdural Haemorrhage
Blood between dura and arachnoid Not usually associated with fracture Violent shaking can cause SDH
34
Intracranial injuries - Subarachnoid Haemorrhage
More common than SDH Bleeding between arachnoid and pia Traumatic or spontaneous
35
Brain Injury
Cerebral contusion/bruising Cerebral laceration
36
Skull Anatomy
Skull Dura Arachnoid Pia mater Brain
37
Mechanism of injury
Blast: Pressure waves causes tissue disruption. Tears blood vessels and disrupt alveolar tissue. Traumatic diaphragm rupture. Crush: Body is compressed between an object and a hard surface. Direct injury of chest wall and internal structures. Laceration of solid organs and blow out of hollow organs. Penetrating: Low energy High Energy
38
Injury to chest wall
Contusions or haematomas, rib/sternum fractures (Flail chest), fractures of clavicle and shoulder girdle
39
Rib fractures
Ribs 1-3 requires great force to fracture (direct violence from kicking, heavy punching or RTAs) Ribs 4-9 are most commonly fractured Ribs 9-12 less likely to be fractured Transmit energy of trauma to internal organs. If fractured, suspect liver and spleen injury.
40
Injuries to liver
Commonly injured from trauma to the: 8th-12th ribs on right side of the body Upper central part of abdomen
41
Injuries to lungs
Contusions, lacerations, pneumothorax, haemothorax
42
Injuries to the heart
Pericardial temponade, myocardial contusion
43
Injury to the spleen
Injured from blunt trauma to lower left chest, flank or upper left abdomen Associated intra-abdominal injuries common
44
Injury to the stomach and intestine
Commonly damaged due to penetrating trauma Small and large intestine: can be by compression force
45
Injuries to the kidney and pancreas
Blunt or penetrating
46
Injuries to the pelvis
Serious skeletal injury Potential injury to pelvic organs: Ureter, Bladder, Urethra, Prostrate, Rectum, Anus Mechanisms: Compression in head on collision. Lateral compression in side impacts. Vertical shears in fall from heights.
47
Types of blast injuries
Primary Secondary Tertiary Quaternary
48
Primary blast injury
Unique to high explosives Due to impact of over-pressurisation wave with body surfaces Most commonly involve air-filled organs and air-fluid interfaces Types of injuries: Blast lung Tympanic Membrane rupture Abdominal haemorrhage and perforation Eye Globe rupture Traumatic brain injury without physical signs of head injury
49
Secondary blast injury
Due to flying debris and bomb fragments Penetrating ballistic or blunt injuries Leading cause of death in military and civilian terrorist attacks
50
Tertiary blast injury
Due to persons being thrown into fixed objects by wind of explosions Also due to structural collapse and fragmentation of building and vehicles Structural collapse may cause extensive blunt trauma
51
Quaternary blast injury
Explosion related injuries or illnesses not due to primary, secondary, or tertiary injuries Exacerbations of pre-existing conditions, such as asthma, COPD, CAD, HTN, DM, etc. Burns (chemical and thermal) Toxic inhalation Radiation exposure Asphyxiation (carbon monoxide and cyanide)

Forensic Pathology (12 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2025 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions