A laceration is found on the scalp of a pedestrian struck by a vehicle. The wound has irregular, abraded, and contused margins, with tissue bridges crossing the depths of the wound. A suspected incised wound on the same victim has clean margins, no bridging, and undermining of the deeper edge. Which statement BEST explains why tissue bridges are present in lacerations but NOT in incised wounds?

• A Lacerations result from tearing; nerves and vessels are relatively resistant and remain intact as bridging strands ✓
• B Incised wounds penetrate only the epidermis
• C Tissue bridges form only in wounds infected with Clostridium
• D The dermis has less tensile strength than the epidermis

Explanation

Lacerations result from blunt crushing/tearing forces that split skin along natural lines of cleavage. Nerves, vessels, and fibrous tissue have greater elasticity and tensile strength than the surrounding connective tissue, so they span the wound as bridging strands (tissue bridges). Incised wounds are caused by a sharp-edged implement cutting cleanly through all tissue layers simultaneously, leaving no bridges. The presence or absence of tissue bridges is one of the most important distinguishing features between blunt and sharp-force injuries.

Reference: The Essentials of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology (Narayan Reddy), 34th ed.

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Written and medically reviewed by the StethoPrep medical team.