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Blunt Force Trauma

Blunt Force Trauma . Characteristics of Instruments. Size length and width Shape cross-sectional outline round -- more fx lines angular -- fewer fx lines, distinct edges patterned injuries Weight heavy or light. Effects of BFT on bone. Inbending at the site of force

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Blunt Force Trauma

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  1. Blunt Force Trauma

  2. Characteristics of Instruments • Size • length and width • Shape • cross-sectional outline • round -- more fx lines • angular -- fewer fx lines, distinct edges • patterned injuries • Weight • heavy or light

  3. Effects of BFT on bone • Inbending at the site of force • Outbending around the site of force • LeFort fractures • Ring fractures

  4. Sharp Force Trauma

  5. Sharp Force Trauma • Caused by an implement with an edge or point • Usually results from compression or shearing applied over a narrow focus • Complete discontinuities result from chopping instruments while infractions from cutting instruments.

  6. Effects of Sharp Instruments • Puncture • Incision • Cleft/notch • Striations • Wastage

  7. Punctures • Caused by pointed instrument directed toward a bone surface • Indentation at point of contact (cone-shaped) • Depth of wound depends on instrument and causative force

  8. Incisions • Sharp forces drawn across cortical surface • Thin lines or V-shaped indents • Fracture lines are rare • Length, width, depth of wound depends on size of instrument, amt. of energy and dimensions of bone impacted

  9. Clefts • Caused by vertical forces applied by heavy instruments with long, sharp edges • V-shaped notch • May be accompanied by radiating fractures • Depth depends on force applied

  10. Knives • Wound is generally small, clean and sharp edged - variation depends on size, type, weight and sharpness of the knife (e.g. paring knife v. serrated bread knife) • Knife wounds are characterized by straight lines - straight lines are seldom found in nature

  11. Anatomy of a Knife • Back • Spine • Edge • Point • Ricasso • Crossguard • Grip • Handle

  12. Machetes • Wound is generally long, deep and sharp-edged • Machetes can penetrate or decapitate

  13. Other Cutting Instruments • Wound is related to the type of tool used (ice pick, hammer, screwdriver, pliers) • Tool may have individualized characteristics that may tie it to the wound produced

  14. Other tools, cont. • NEVER compromise the integrity of the evidence by trying to fit the object into the hole it produced. • One may only say that a wound is consistent with a particular instrument (unless you have an individualizing element such as a broken tip that matches the suggested tool)

  15. Wound Analysis • Description of wound • Instrument characteristics • type • cutting, stabbing, chopping • size • blade length, width, surface contour, sharpness • Direction of force • Number of traumatic events

  16. Miscellaneous • Strangulation • hanging, ligature, manual strangulation • Fire • Chemical Trauma

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