A 30-year-old is stabbed with a single-edged knife. The entry wound on the anterior chest wall shows one sharp end and one blunt end. The depth of the wound tract is 12 cm while the blade length is 10 cm. This discrepancy is explained by:
- A Post-mortem shrinkage of the wound due to skin elasticity
- B The blade had a secondary false edge accounting for additional penetration
- C The knife was thrust with enough force that the handle guard also indented the chest wall ✓
- D Air embolism distorted the measurement at autopsy
Correct answer: C. The knife was thrust with enough force that the handle guard also indented the chest wall
Explanation
The depth of a stab wound can exceed the blade length if the weapon was thrust with great force so that the guard (cross-guard) also indented and compressed the soft tissues. Conversely, depth can be less than blade length if the weapon was only partially inserted. Wound track depth greater than blade length is a well-recognised phenomenon in forceful stabbing and is important in forensic wound analysis. The single sharp and single blunt end of the skin wound corresponds to the sharp edge and blunt spine of a single-edged knife.
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.