Veterolegal aspects of wounds, burns and scars.pptx

This presentation discuss veterolegal aspects of wound including burns, scals and scars. Presentation also covers differentiating feautures between ante-mortem and post-mortem wound.

1. Veterolegal aspects of Wounds Published by: Dr. Desh Deepak Assistant Professor, Veterinary Medicine COVAS, SVPUAT, Meerut

2. Wound is breach in the anatomical continuity of tissue produced by the act of violence. Wounds or injuries can be mechanical, firearm or thermal injuries. Classification of wounds Bruises or contusions Abrasions Incised wounds Lacerated wounds Punctured wounds Gunshot wounds Cause of death from wounds can be Direct (Hemorrhage, injury to vital organs and shock) Indirect (Inflammation of viscera, septicemia, necrosis of viscera amnd infectious diseases like tetanus Veterolegal aspects of wound

3. Points to be noted while examining the wound Type and number of wounds Direction of wound Condition of their edges and their ends Presence of foreign body Nature of weapon used Signs of inflammatory reaction Presence of blood clots or liquid blood Veterolegal aspects of wound

4. Code of rating severity of injury 0- no definable injury No physically or radiographically defined injury 1- Minor Small lacerations, abrasions and simple fractures of metacarpal, metatarsal and pelvis without displacement 2- Moderate Extensive or deep lacerations and abrasions, simple fractures of long bones, ligament rupture, luxation and skull/spinal fracture without neurological signs 3- Severe but not life threatening Multiple extensive lacerations, multiple skull fractures, pnemo /hemothorax and long bone fractures 4-Severe and life threatening Abdominal trauma or multiple extensive lacerations with signs of hypovolemia, skull fractures with loss of consciousness, spinal fracture with sign of cord severance and multiple open long bone fractures Fatal after 24 hours Fatal within 24 hours

5. Differentiating features in Ante and post mortem wounds Ante-mortem wounds Post-mortem wounds Copious arterial hemorrhage No hemorrhage Inflammatory & regenerative changes + Absent Gaping of the edges No gaping of the edges Blood is not clotted Blood is clotted Spouting of blood from arteries No spouting Stained edges and tissue not removable by washing Stained edges and tissue removable by washing

6. Veterolegal aspects of wound Age of injuries Signs of inflammation around injury & change of colour Certainly before/probably 24 hrs before death Marks of arterial spouting Before death Extensive hemorrhages Before death Presence of coagulation During life or within 10 minutes of death Retraction and eversion of wound During life or within 3 hrs of death Superficial scaling starts Complete healing 10-24 hrs Union of edges of incised wound 36 hours Granulation tissue filled the edges 05 days

7. Bruise are the injuries produced by blunt objects (including fist, shoes, falling and crushing) and characterised by extravasation of blood in to s/c spaces and tissues. Blunt injury causes tearing of crushing of subcutaneous tissue with intact skin. Rupture of vessels may result in extravasation of blood and development of ecchymosis and hematoma. Contusions are more severe than bruise and characterised by excessive crushing or rupture of internal organs. The age of bruise can be determined with the help of colour of ecchymosis. Initially bruise is red turns blue (Hemosiderin iron pigments) in 03 days, green ( Haematoidin iron pigments) or blue black after 5-6 days and colour fades after around 15 th day. Bruise/Contusions

8. Bruise/Contusions AM Bruise PM bruise Swollen and color changes as discussed Depression at the site of blow instead of swelling Extravasted blood is coagulated Not coagulated Marks at soft areas and bony prominence No marks

9. Abrasions are non-fatal injuries produced by friction and pressure (sliding, dragging, falling and vehicle accidents) and characterised by loss of superficial layer of skin. It include s cratch, gaze and imprints. Examine the abrasion for the presence of remnant of friction surface like colour, paint, wooden chips, rope fiber etc. The direction of abrasion can be decided by the heaped up epidermal layers. Abrasions AM Abrasions PM abrasions Abrasions will be covered with scale of reddish brown colour (coagulated serum & blood) with blurred margins due to vital reaxn . Yellow or translucent scab with defined margins and without bleeding and rexn . Skin is dry & parchment like.

10. Lacerated wounds are injuries produced by tearing of tissue usually by barbed wires and claws teeth and horns of animals and characterised by characterised by torn, irregular edges not corresponding to the shape and size of weapon. Lacerated wounds

11. Incised wounds are injuries produced sharp cutting weapons and characterised by regular, smooth, even, well defined edges with evident gaping b/w the edges . Form of wound depends on the method of using the weapon Wound is deeper at the commencement of wound Size of weapon cannot be defined on the basis of depth of wound Incised wounds

12. Puncture wounds are the injuries produced by penetrating bodies which can have small external opening but may injure important vital organs. External hemorrhage can be less but internal hemorrhage is extensive Length of weapon can be defined on the basis of depth of wound but width can’t be deifned Punctured or penetrating wounds

13. Gunshot wounds are the injuries produced by various kinds of firearms. Each gun shot wound usually have two openings viz entry wounds and exit wounds. Entry wounds are usually smaller than exit and are characterised by burning, blackening (< 4 feet) and tattooing. Exit wounds are usually bigger than bullet with margins pushed outward and are free from signs of blackening, burning and tattooing. Shape of entry wound depends upon the speed of bullet and is circular for high speed and slit like hole for low speed and smaller than the bullet if contact is at right angle. Gunshot wounds

14. Gunshot wounds

15. Gunshot wounds Nature of gunshot wounds depends upon Kind of weapon Range at which weapon was fired Nature of projectile Velocity of projectile Nature of powder Part of body struck Direction of fire

16. Types of weapon Revolver Pistol Rifle Shot gun and sporting gun Air rifle and air pistol Gunshot wounds

17. Barre l is hollow steel tube of firearm. Bore is lumen of barrel. Muzzle is the front opening of barrel. Some guns are loaded through barrel and are known as muzzle loaders. Maximum velocity of projectile at muzzle is indicator of fire power of arm and is known as muzzle velocity. B reech is the rear opening of barrel. Guns loaded through breech are known as breech loaders. Calibre is inside diameter of barre l of rifle or hand guns & Gauge is inside diameter of barrel of shot gun. Bullet is projectile inside firearms consisting of core of lead covered with cupro -nickel jacket. Cartridge is a cylinder container with bullet on its top and ammunition at the base. Round is term used for live cartridge. Magazine are the containers containing multiple cartridges designed to get automatically load in the firearm. Black powder or gun powder is mixture of charcoal, sulphur and potassium nitrate. Important terminologies of Guns

18. Burns refers to injury inflicted by application of heat or chemical substances on external or internal surface of body. Scald are defined as injuries produced as a result of application of steam or hot liquid at boiling point. Etiology Exposure to flame or radiant heat Contact with hot objects Scalding with hot liquids Corrosive chemicals like acids, alkalies and phenols Lightening stroke and electrocution Symptoms Erythema with diffuse edema of skin & S/C tissue Vesicle and blistering with sloughing of skin and patch of hair leaving a red wound which soon suppurates Death in severe burn is due to respiratory tract damage or sepsis (15.7 days) Burns and Scalds

19. Scars Scar refers to the tissue mass devoid of hair and sweat glands formed by healing of wound. Forensic importance of scars Scars are very important for identification of ante mortem or postmortem wounds. Scars do not appear in sterile contusions and wounds Long tape like scars appears in incised wound. Broad and irregular scars appears in lacerated wounds. Irregular, circular, oblong or triangular scars appears in stab and punctured wound Scar of firearm are also round for firearms. At the time of necropsy, number, shape, size, location and direction of scars should be recorded.

20. Scars Scar refers to the tissue mass devoid of hair and sweat glands formed by healing of wound. Forensic importance of scars Scars are very important for identification of ante mortem or postmortem wounds. Scars do not appear in sterile contusions and wounds Long tape like scars appears in incised wound. Broad and irregular scars appears in lacerated wounds. Irregular, circular, oblong or triangular scars appears in stab and punctured wound Scar of firearm are also round for firearms. At the time of necropsy, number, shape, size, location and direction of scars should be recorded.

21. BURNS

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