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Forensic/Medicolegal pathology
8.18 by Dr. Lorusso
55
Pathology
Professional
08/20/2011

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Cards

Term
The part of the forensic sciences that deals with analysis of hair, fibers, glass, paint, etc. is termed _____.
Definition
criminalistics
Term
What's the difference between a coroner and a medical examiner?
Definition
a coroner may or may not be a physician and may be elected or appointed and investigates not only death investigations but also sexual assaults and psychiatric commitments. A ME is usually a forensic pathologist that is appointed and deals with death investigations.
Term
In louisiana, is the coroner always a physician?
Definition
not always. If there is an MD running for the position, other candidates will automatically be disqualified but there isn't always an MD running
Term
In louisiana, how long is a coroner elected for?
Definition
a four year term
Term
T/F The coroner makes the death certificate when there is a coroner's case.
Definition
true
Term
T/F An autopsy is always required for coroners cases.
Definition
false, an investigation or external examination of the body may suffice
Term
The decision to perform an autopsy ultimately rests with _______.
Definition
the coroner's office
Term
T/F Louisiana physicians are required by law to promptly report to the coroner's office all coroner's cases which die under their care.
Definition
true
Term
Even after autopsy and investigation, approx ___% of the coroner's cases in Orleans Parish are finally established to be natural.
Definition
75%
Term
What are the two broad categories of death in the medical as well as legal world?
Definition
cardiorespiratory or brain death
Term
What is the cause of death?
Definition
the event, disease or injury, that resulted in death
Term
What is the difference between the proximate cause of death and the immediate cause of death?
Definition
proximate: the event which initiated a progressive sequence of pathologic events which terminate in death
immediate: event or complication which immediately precedes and results in death
Term
What is the intervening (intermediate, contribuiting) cause of death?
Definition
the conditions which are usually caused by the proximate cause of death and lead to the immediate cause of death
Term
What is the mechanism of death?
Definition
a series of pathophysiologic occurrences that cause death
Term
What is the manner of death?
Definition
the classification of the death. There are five classifications: natural, homicide, accident, suicide, and unclassified
Term
T/F Dr. Lorusso thinks that cardiorespiratory arrest is a meaningless pseudodiagnosis that should never be put on a death certificate as the cause of death.
Definition
true
Term
Name some postmortem changes used to determine time of death.
Definition
rigor mortis, liver mortis, postmortem cooling, rise of potassium concentration in the vitreous humour
Term
What is liver mortis?
Definition
purplish discoloration imparted to the dependent surfaces of the body as a result of settling of blood in cutaneous vessels under the influence of gravity
Term
In the great majority of SUD cases, the cause of death is found in which organs?
Definition
heart, lung, brain
Term
What are the most common cardiac causes of SUD?
Definition
ventricular fibrillation associated with stenotic coronary atherosclerosis. Also, recent coronary thrombosis, and less commonly myocarditis, aortic stenosis, mitral valve prolapse, and assymmetric septal hypertrophy. Possible coronary artery spasms and myocardial irritability leading to rhythym disturbances
Term
What are the common pulmonary causes of SUD?
Definition
PE, asthma, and pneumonia. Also, massive hemorrhage or aspiration of a foriegn object (cafe coronary)
Term
What are the cerebral causes of SUD?
Definition
hemorrhage and seizures (anemic strokes are associated with sudden symptoms but rarely with sudden death)
Term
T/F Deaths due to AIDS should be reported to the coroner.
Definition
true, becaues it deals with infectious disease
Term
What are protracted unnatural deaths?
Definition
when an individual dies of immediate natural causes due to a proximate unnatural cause
Term
What do you call a broad, superficial defect in teh surface of an organ or tissue?
Definition
abrasion
Term
What do you call a diffuse focus of extravasted erythrocytes present in a diffuse distribution within the tissue spaces?
Definition
a contusion
Term
What's the medical term for bruise?
Definition
contusion
Term
What do you call a mass of extravasated erythrocytes which, due to its mass effect, disrupts tissues and distorts anatomic relationships?
Definition
hematoma
Term
A laceration is caused by ... which results in the appearance of ...
Definition
excessive shear stresses, small strands of tissue which bridge the laceration gap
Term
What do you call a well-defined defect caused by a sharp instrument and which is greater in length than in depth?
Definition
incised wound
Term
What do you call a well-defined defect due to sharp-edged instrument and which is greater in depth than in length?
Definition
stab wound
Term
What do you call a deep but very narrow usually rounded wound due to penetration by a long slender instrument such as an ice pick or fork?
Definition
puncture wound
Term
What do you call a tearing or breaking open of a hollow viscus?
Definition
rupture
Term
What characterizes a gun shot with the muzzle on the skin?
Definition
searing of the woiund margin from the flame and a dense, narrow, well-defined zone of soot on the skin surface immediately adjacent to the hole. Often there is a muzzle imprint
Term
What is stippling?
Definition
punctate reddish discoloration and abrasion of the skin surface at the oints of impact of individual particles of powder. Can't be washed away and only seen in living skin
Term
What do you call the presence of visible particulate powder beneath the skin surface that cannot be washed away?
Definition
tatooing
Term
How does the zone of soot differ when the gun is closer or farther away from the body?
Definition
zone of soot is larger and less dense in a near contact wound as it has more space in which to spread out.
Term
What characterizes a near contact wound?
Definition
stippling, powder zone that is larger and less dense, tatooing, NO MUZZLE IMPRINT and soot and powder in the wound
Term
What characterizes an intermediate range wound?
Definition
wound that is 3-6 inches (or 18-24 inches for a large hand gun). You have stipple but no soot, searing or imprint.
Term
What happens to the zone of stipple as the gun is further away from the body?
Definition
it spreads out and becomes less and less dense until it is no longer present
Term
GSWs though the skull can be directionally determined due to the presence of ...
Definition
beveling. The bone will slope outwards as the bullet passes through
Term
T/F When you remove a bullet from a patient, you should engrave your initials on it.
Definition
true
Term
Why is it important to remove a bullet by hand an not with a metal or other hard object?
Definition
to preserve riffling
Term
T/F Shotgun wounds can result in a single large hole.
Definition
true, they can result in a single large hole, multiple smaller holes or a combination depending on the range of fire
Term
What is asphyxia?
Definition
death of the individual due to some interference with delivery of oxygen to the organs and tissues. Can be anything from occlusion of airways to chemical interference with cellular respiration
Term
What's the difference between smothering and strangulation?
Definition
smothering is obstruction of the mouth and nasal passages while strangulation is occlusion of the upper airways and/or blood vessels of the neck by externally applied pressure exluding hanging
Term
Ligature strangulation is also known as...
Definition
throttling or garrotting
Term
Strangulation with the hands is called _______.
Definition
manual strangulation
Term
Death in strangulation usually results from...
Definition
obstruction of blood flow through the jugular veins or carotid arteries. Also, compression of carotid body/sinus may trigger sudden death from cardiac rhythm interference
Term
Drowning associated with dry lungs is due to ...
Definition
laryngeal spasm that prevents entry of water into the lungs
Term
What is the color of blood in CO poisoning?
Definition
cherry red
Term
Symmetrical necrosis of what CNS structure is seen in carbon monoxide poisining?
Definition
globus pallidus
Term
The most common injuries causing fatal child abuse are most often found where?
Definition
head, neck, or abdomen
Term
What is the blood alcohol level needed to get a DWI?
Definition
.1g% or greater
Term
What's the difference between "run under" and "run over"?
Definition
run under is when the victim is thrown over the vehicle. Run over is when the victum is crushed under the vehicle
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