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                  Incisions are cut injuries caused by sharp cutting weapons. May be seen on the skin, internal organs or bone 

                                                                              

                                                                            

         

                                                                                                Features      

  •    Length is greater than the depth

 

  •   Edges  - clean cut , no marginal contusions.  

                                    ?  Exceptions

  •   Ends are sharp

   

  •   Underlying tissues are  evenly cut

   

  •   Bleeds profusely

 

  •   Gapes more when the cut is transverse than when along the long axis of a limb ? why
                                                                                                    Types

1. Slash cut  - caused by the cutting edge of the blade coming in contact with the surface of the body with a great force

                      Slash cut to the hand    ? Features
2. Drawn cut - caused by drawing the blade of the cutting weapon over the skin

 
 Self inflicted wrist injuries

? Features

   

 

 
                                                                                Medico legal importance

        

  • Indicates the direction of trauma
                

At the beginning more deeper and ends off superficially

 

 

? Can you identify the direction of the incision in this picture 

  • The type of incision indicates different mechanisms of injury and there by the circumstances of injury       

                            - Slash cuts  - Homicides

 

          Throat incisions

 

 
                           - Drawn cuts  - self inflicted or suicidal, but less often homicidal

 
                                         

            

Self-inflicted cuts   ? Features

   

 

 

 

 

    

 Suicidal cuts  ? Feature         

 

 
  • Cuts could be antemortem or postmortem

 

       Antemortem cut

 

   Postmortem cut

 

 

 ? Differentiation of antemortem from postmortem incisions  
  • Indicates the nature of the weapon (sharpness of the blade, shape of blade, pliability of blade, weight of the weapon, thickness of the blade)

 
  • Injury

A stab at the distal end and a cut at the proximal end. (two injuries with one blow) 

   

  •  Weapon

Curved blade (Sickle)

 

 

 

  
  • Injury

A deep incised wound with no contusions or abrasions around the margins

  • Weapon

Sword and heavy non-pliable knives (pruning, manna)

 
  • Injury 

A deep incised wound with no contusions or abrasions around the margins

  • Weapon

                    Pruning knife

  
  • Injury

Incised wound with contused margins,

 

 

 

 

 

A triangular defect can occur when apply at an angle over a bone

 

  • Weapon

                              Axe

 
  • Injury

Multiple  irregular incised wounds

This is due to road traffic accidents resulted in broken windscreen

  • Weapon

Glass, broken pottery, sharp stones

 
  • Patterns of incisions in areas of the body may indicate further details about the incident

    e.g. Slash cut to the hand indicates defense injury