STAB WOUND

 STAB WOUND 

Drchetancreation 

Definition - A stab wound (puncture) is defined as an  injury, caused by a sharp pointed weapon / object, when  the sharp tip is thrust into the body part.  (Stab wound can result, even if  the point is blunt e.g. by  horn of  a bull or end of  an iron rod). 

 Examples of  sharp pointed weapons Knife, dagger,  gupti, sword, ice pick, spear, arrow & bayonet etc.

Types of  stab wounds  

Puncture wound  Penetrating wound   Perforating wound  Concealed puncture wound

1) Puncture wound

 Any wound, where depth is the greatest  dimension, and it is caused by a sharp pointed  object, it is stab/puncture wound.

2) Penetrating wound

 When the sharp point of  the object penetrates  into one of  the three body cavities, it is a  penetrating wound.

3) Perforating wound

 If  the sharp tip of  weapon perforates the part  through and through, so as to cause a wound of   entry and a wound of  exit, it is labelled as  perforating wound.

Also read :BARGAIN

4) Concealed puncture wound 

is a puncture wound which is concealed or hidden. - Punctures by thin and sharp pointed object, like  pin, needle, nail, ice pick, screw driver, scissors etc. in  the fontanelle, inner canthus of  eye, under upper  eye lid, ears, up the nose, down the throat, in folds of   neck or axilla, under the breast, in umblicus, urethera,  vagina or rectum.  - They are not easily seen on examination. - They are  almost always homicidal.

Characteristics of a stab wound

 a) General 

1. Most important characteristic of  a stab wound is  that depth is the    greatest dimension.

  2. It is caused by a sharp pointed object

 3. Wound results when the sharp tip is thrust into the  body part 

 4. A wound of  entry and a wound of  exit may be  caused.

. b) Size 

 5. The length of  wound of  entry is slightly less than the width of  the  blade, because of  elastic recoil of  skin. 

 6. Length of  wound of  entry is usually larger than the length of   wound of  exit, because of  tapering tip. 

 7. Length of  wound of  entry may be equal to the length of  wound of   exit, if  the whole of  the long blade is thrust in.  

8. Wound of  entry may be larger than the width of  the blade

Also read : 🩸 A short story of Pulsatilla

 a) If  the weapon is moved, while in body.  

b) If  the victim moves, after the weapon is thrust in.  

9.      Width of  the wound depends upon thickness of  weapon - usually  gaping present

c) Shape 

10. Shape of  wound of  entry depends upon the nature of   blade 

I. If  the blade is with single sharp edge - injury is  wedge shaped or triangular.

  II. If  the object is double sharp edged - injury is  elliptical 

 III. If  the object is circular - injury is circular.

  IV. If  the object is squarish - injury is cruciate.

d) Margins & Surrounding skin  

11) Margins are inverted at the wound of  entry, and  everted at wound of  exit. 

12) Margins are clear and clean cut because of  sharp edge  and are ragged in case of  blunt edge. 

 13)Margins become lacerated if                                                                               a) Weapon is thrust up to the hilt. it produces hilt mark  (hilt injury) as abrasion/contusion/laceration on the  wound of  entry. 

Also read :Lycopodium

b) Edges of  the weapon are blunt.  

14) Surrounding skin is usually clear.

e) Direction  

15)Direction of  assault can be known by  combining the wound of  entry and exit. 

  16)In case, after partial withdrawl, the  weapon is rethrust-multiple tracks of  injury  may be caused.

f) Depth  

17) Depth of  the injury depends upon -

 I. sharpness of  the tip. 

 II. sharpness of  the edges. 

III. length of  the blade. 

IV. amount of  force used. 

V. body part struck. 

VI. whether the part struck is clothed or not.

Also read : IPC 🤕🤕🤕

18)On abdomen, the depth of  injury is always more than  the length of  penetrated blade, because of  retraction  of  abdomen. 

19) In a living, a stab wound should not be probed to  know its depth as it may lead to dislodging the clot  and therefore fresh bleeding.  

20)Depth of  the wound in a living can be known                                    

 - a) by injecting radio-opaque dye and radiographing  the injury. 

- b) on operation table.

g) Miscellaneous  

21)A piece of  cloth may be present in the wound of  entry. 

22)The commonest cause of  death is injury to internal  viscera. 

23)Healing is usually by scarring.

Medicolegal Aspects 

Stab wounds are usually homicidal,  sometimes suicidal and rarely  accidental.

THE   END THANK   YOU