Unit 7: The Body

7.4 Wounds

Wound Types

• Blunt Force Trauma

• Sharp Force Trauma

Structure of the Skin

Blunt Force Trauma

• Abrasions– Brush abrasions– Impact abrasions– Patterned abrasions

Blunt Force Trauma

• Contusions (bruise)– Trauma caused by broken blood vessels below the

surface of the skin.– Can also be on organs– Hematoma • blood causes swelling• Ex. Subdural Hematoma

Blunt Force Trauma• Lacerations– A tear in the tissue caused by a sliding or crushing

force.– Extreme force by blunt objects. (not sharp objects)– Rough edges/shallow– Tissue Bridging

Blunt/Sharp Force Wounds

• Chop Wounds– Cleavers, axes, and machetes– Possible marginal abbrasions– Bone damage common

Sharp Force Trauma

• Stab Wounds– Deeper than long– Clean edges, no abbrasions – “blunt” v. “sharp” sides– Gaping wound below

Sharp Force Trauma

• Incised Wounds (cuts)– Are produced by sharp-edged objects such as a

knife, glass, metal, or even paper.– Clean edges

Specific Wounds

• Hesitation marks– Suicide victims often make several attempts

before successfully cutting all the way through the skin.

Specific Wounds

• Defensive wounds– Found on hands and arms

Identifing Sharp Force Wounds

• Often trauma is compounded. • This is an abraded contusion– Abrasion and contusion

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