Citation

Malbranque S, Jousset N, Nedelcu C, Rougé-Maillart C. Forensic Sci. Int. 2014; 245C: e6-e10.

Affiliation

Department of Forensic Medicine, Angers University Hospital, Angers cedex 09 F-49933, France; LUNAM (University of Nantes, Angers and Le Mans) Angers Campus, UPRES EA 4337, 49045 Angers cedex, France. Electronic address: stmalbranque@chu-angers.fr.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2014, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.forsciint.2014.09.011

PMID

25450511

Abstract

The number of head wounds due to firearms remains low in France because these cases are primarily linked to suicide (or attempted suicide) and, to a lesser extent, to attacks or hunting accidents [1]. Characterized by the impact of a projectile, which in most cases is made of metal, at high levels of kinetic energy, such acts generally result in severe trans-cerebral lesions with significant levels of morbidity/mortality [2]. Seldom are cases reported in the literature that give a detailed study of intracranial foreign bodies made of bone in such situations [3]. Here we report on the case of two suicides resulting from a transcranial gunshot wounds caused by weapons and ammunition issued by the French police force. Each case helped distinguish a characteristic bone fragment, in the form of a "patch", equivalent in size to the caliber of the bullet.

Language: en