ASM 275: Forensic Anthropology Exam 3 Study Guide

ASM 275: Forensic Anthropology Exam 3 Study Guide TRAUMA: injury caused to the living tissue by an outside force. Projectile: bullets, arrows, spears Blunt force: clubs, bats Sharp force: knives, swords Basic Bone Trauma 1. Displacements: bone surfaces no longer meet 2. Hinge: incomplete separation 3. Greenstick: incomplete separation; subadults Perimortem trauma: injury happened near time of death; could be used to link to medical records Perimortem (LEGAL): around the time of death Perimortem (Skeletal trauma): the period before which signs of healing are evident; could mean at the time of death-several weeks after death Features: no sign of healing, 1. Sharp edges of fracture & lines 2. Hinging; not seen in postmortem fractures, 3. Fracture lines 4. Angled broken edges (jagged/lightening shaped) 5. Hematoma staining Antemortem trauma: injury happened before death; could be used to reconstruct the cause and manner of death Postmortem trauma: there is no injury, the one breakage occurred after death; bone breakage does not contribute to forensic analysis. Features: 1. Does not have fracture lines 2. Greenstick & hinge fractures present 3. Breaks occur at right angles to bone shaft Phases of FRACTURE HEALING 1. Hematoma forms -blood pools over surface -internal scab to help stabilize break 2. Callus forming -woven bone deposited 3. Remodeling of woven bone into mature bone BLUNT FORCE TRAUMA (Module 16; Lab 14) Blunt force trauma: any injury resulting from a blow that impacts over a relatively wide area of the bone. Generally caused by compression and bending and results in the bone discontinuities & fracture lines. *Includes punching; typically results in relatively CLEAN, SIMPLE FRACTURES, without significant crushing or comminution.