RESUMO
The work was performed on 15 cadavers of suicidal gunshot injuries to studythe pattern, autopsy findings and histopathological changes of these cases. Autopsy was done and specimens were taken from the entrance and exit [ifpresent] wounds. Samples were processed and examined by light microscopy. The anatomical sites for the entrance wounds were in the temples [11 cases],the mouth [2 cases], the chin [one case] and the forehead [one case]. Thestudy revealed that most of the cases [73%] had perforating injuries of theskull and brain. Internal ricochet [single or double] was found in 4 cases. There was only marginal fracturing around the bullet holes in 27% of thecases, in the remaining cases [73%] there were secondary fractures mainly inthe orbital roofs. Microscopic examination of entrance and exit gunshotwounds disclose several histopathological changes that distinguish these 2types of injuries and that are often useful in establishing the range offiring