A laceration is distinguished from an incised wound at autopsy by which characteristic feature?

• A Lacerations are always longer than incised wounds of comparable depth
• B Lacerations bleed more profusely than incised wounds due to torn vessels
• C Lacerations show irregular margins with tissue bridges, bruising, and abrasion at the edges, while incised wounds have clean, sharp edges without tissue bridges ✓
• D Incised wounds show bevelling of the edges while lacerations are perpendicular to the skin surface

Explanation

Laceration (blunt force splitting/tearing of skin) shows: irregular, ragged margins; tissue bridges (strands of fibrous tissue or blood vessels crossing the wound gap); associated abrasion and bruising at the edges; and hair follicles and sweat ducts are seen in the wound wall. Incised wounds (from sharp cutting instruments) have clean, smooth, sharply-defined edges; no tissue bridges; minimal surrounding bruising; and the wound gapes due to skin tension. These differences are critical for determining the instrument used. Bevelling occurs in firearm entry wounds and tangential cuts, not as a standard laceration/incision differentiator.

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.