Simulation and Observation of Vertical Cast-off Bloodstain Pattern / 法医学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To observe the characteristics of vertical cast-off bloodstain pattern by different hitting-tools.@*METHODS@#The regular hitting tools, a kitchen knife, a dirk, a plane set-hammer and an iron pipe, were selected. At a distance of 30 cm away from the wall, the hitting tool with 5 mL fresh chicken blood made the cast-off bloodstain from top to bottom. Then the holistic distribution characteristics (length, width and density) of cast-off bloodstain and morphology characteristics (length, width and contact angle) of first single cast-off bloodstain were analyzed.@*RESULTS@#The distribution length of cast-off bloodstain formed by dirk was minimum (P < 0.05). The distribution width of cast-off bloodstain formed by kitchen knife was minimum (P < 0.05). Except the pair of kitchen knife and plane set-hammer, the distribution density between each two tools had statistical differences (P < 0.05). The length of first single cast-off bloodstain formed by plane set-hammer was longest compared (P < 0.05). The width of first single cast-off bloodstain had statistical differences between kitchen knife and plane set-hammer, and between dirk and plane set-hammer (P < 0.05).@*CONCLUSION@#The type of hitting tool could be inferred by the specific characteristics of cast-off bloodstain pattern formed by every specific type of hitting tool in crime scene.

Peripheral arterial embolism of pellets after shotgun injury to the abdomen: A case report.

Dealing with shotgun injury to the abdomen it is important to be aware of the possibility of missile emboli and their potential clinical effects because it usually causes vascular trauma but intravascular missile embolism is relatively rare. Vascular trauma following shotgun injuries may involve laceration of the vessel wall, pseudoaneurysm, arteriovenous fistula or missile embolism. A pellet embolus should be suspected in all cases where gunshot entry wound is present with or without an exit wound. We recently encountered a case of a close-range shotgun injury to the abdomen with subsequent embolisation of pellets to bifurcation of popliteal artery both lower limbs. However, pellet embolus is asymptomatic, there is still debate over best management because conservative management avoids surgical risks and operative removal prevents the possibility of embolus related life threatening complications. This case shows that it is necessary to do whole body imaging in all cases of shotgun injury whether exit wound present or not.

Reconstruction: A recipe of forensic medicine.

Mostly in medicolegal cases for the purpose of investigation in the right direction it is important to know and see whether findings or injuries present over the body are consistent with the history or not. This becomes more important in certain cases like death in police custody and death in police encounter, where the integrity of law enforcing agencies is at stake and for that consistency of findings with the history given by them is important. This is only possible by meticulous examination of the body and then reconstruction of the findings, which leads to a particular outcome. And that is why it is said, that “Reconstruction of the crime is like a recipe of forensic medicine”.