title: Frequency of blood spatters on the shooting hand and of conjunctival petechiae following suicidal gunshots wounds to the head.
abstract: A total of 103 suicidal and 29 homicidal gunshot fatalities were evaluated. In 42% of the suicides, characteristic findings like blood spatters and/or powder soilings, could be found on the shooting hand by naked-eye inspection indicating the importance of an accurate examination of the deceased's hands at autopsy for a preliminary diagnosis. Petechial hemorrhages of the conjunctivae due to the gas pressure after discharge of the weapon were observed in 22% of those cases with contact shot wounds to the head/neck, but not in cases of distant shot injuries following the use of non-high velocity ammunition. Therefore, conjunctival petechiae can be regarded as an additional but optional sign of contact head shots in cases without alterations possibly influencing the development of conjunctival pin-point bleedings. The evidence of such findings can be of practical importance if the entrance shot wound cannot be examined for whatever reason.
authors.affiliation: Department of Legal Medicine, University of Munich, Germany.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Betz
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Peschel
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Stiefel
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Eisenmenger
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001769:Blood; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003228:Conjunctiva / Q000473:pathology*; D006259:Craniocerebral Trauma / Q000473:pathology*; D005130:Eye Hemorrhage / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D005389:Firearms; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013405:Suicide; D014948:Wounds, Gunshot / Q000473:pathology*