title: Frequency of bone/cartilage lesions in stab and incised wounds fatalities.
abstract: A retrospective study was carried out on 58 fatalities due to stab or incised wounds. The frequency of bone or cartilage lesions was analysed according to the number of wounds, the circumstances of death and the anatomical site. Our findings showed that bone/cartilage lesions were present in about 53% of the cases. Cartilage lesions were more frequent than bone lesions. The mean number of wounds in the group with bone/cartilage lesions was statistically higher than the mean number of wounds in the group without lesions (P=0.0068). The main cause of death was thoracic injury in the groups with and without bone/cartilage lesions. In case of skeletal remains, only bone or cartilage lesions allow to diagnose stab or incised wounds. The discovery of these lesions, often of small size, justifies a complete and careful examination of skeletal remains with the help of stereomicroscopy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Forensic Medicine, Raymond Poincaré Hospital, Paris-Ouest Medical University, 104 Boulevard Raymond Poincaré, 92380 Garches, France.
authors.forename: Ahmed
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Banasr
authors.forename: Geoffroy Lorin
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: de la Grandmaison
authors.forename: Michel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Durigon
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000293:injuries / Q000473:pathology*; D002356:Cartilage / Q000293:injuries / Q000473:pathology*; D002423:Cause of Death; D005260:Female; D005554:Forensic Medicine; D005602:France / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012272:Ribs / Q000473:pathology; D013249:Sternum / Q000473:pathology; D013898:Thoracic Injuries / Q000401:mortality; D014951:Wounds, Stab / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology*