A body shows a wound over the shin that looks like an incised wound, with straight regular edges. However, microscopic examination shows crushing of the dermal collagen and ruptured hair follicles in the wound margin. The correct interpretation is:

• A It is a true incised wound from a sharp weapon
• B It is a postmortem artefact from handling
• C It is an incised-looking laceration caused by blunt force over bone ✓
• D It is a chop wound from a heavy edged weapon

Explanation

Where skin lies tightly stretched over bone, as over the tibia, forehead or eyebrow, blunt force splits it and produces a laceration that mimics an incised wound with straight edges. Histology resolves the problem: crushing of collagen and damage to hair follicles and adnexal structures prove blunt splitting, since a true sharp cut severs these structures cleanly without crushing.

Reference: Knight's Forensic Pathology, 4th ed.

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Written and medically reviewed by the StethoPrep medical team.