Citation

Cerutti E, Spagnoli L, Araujo N, Gibelli D, Mazzarelli D, Cattaneo C. Am. J. Forensic Med. Pathol. 2016; 37(4): 248-254.

Affiliation

From the Laboratorio di Antropologia e Odontologia Forense (LABANOF), Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche per la Salute, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2016, Lippincott Williams and Wilkins)

DOI

10.1097/PAF.0000000000000260

PMID

27584015

Abstract

One of the main issues in forensic anthropology consists of the identification of signs of trauma in skeletal remains, including sharp-force injuries. So far, several studies have been performed to assess differences between injuries caused by different instruments, not, however, through light microscopy.In this study, 152 sharp-force injuries were performed by 5 different tools through 2 different orientations on 2 humeral diaphyses and were analyzed by stereo and light microscopy to assess possible morphological differences.This study showed that although W-shaped injuries are frequently reported in cases of wood-cutting saws, other shapes are often observed; lesions due to metal-cutting saws are almost always U shaped, whereas injuries caused by knives are V shaped. Although cut marks may represent a variable range of features, the present study was able to highlight typical profiles that may be of some help for the diagnosis of weapon and the intentionality of the action.

Language: en