Citation

Atanasijević T, Popović V, Mihailovic Z, Radnić B, Soldatović I, Nikolic S. Am. J. Forensic Med. Pathol. 2015; 36(3): 145-148.

Affiliation

From the *Institute of Forensic Medicine and †Medical Statistics and Informatics, University of Belgrade School of Medicine, Belgrade, Serbia.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2015, Lippincott Williams and Wilkins)

DOI

10.1097/PAF.0000000000000163

PMID

26010055

Abstract

The aim of this study was to assess the frequency of "décollement," traumatic lesions of subcutaneous soft tissue, among victims fatally injured because of falls from different heights. Three hundred seventy-five cases of fatalities due to injuries acquired when falling from various heights onto a solid, flat surface, in which the complete forensic autopsy was performed, were analyzed. Décollement was noted in 125 (33%) of the cases. Comparative analysis of groups with and without décollement and observed factors has shown that the height of fall and the manner of death have statistically significant influence on décollement appearance. With regard to suicidal, accidental, or undefined origin of death décollement is statistically more common in accidental deaths. Décollement provides important clues for forensic reconstruction and could be a significant indicator of the body's position at primary impact and the height from which the victim has either jumped or fallen.

Language: en