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Trauma Case Rep 2019 Jun 29;21:100187. Epub 2019 Mar 29.

Division Cardiothoracic Surgery, University of California Davis, Sacramento, CA, United States of America.

A 35-year-old woman was involved in a motor vehicle collision and suffered a manubriosternal joint dislocation with posterior subluxation of the manubrium. She underwent open reduction and internal fixation with sternal plate reconstruction. This report highlights the mechanism and management of these rare traumatic chest wall injuries. Read More

Med Sci Law 2019 Apr;59(2):83-94

1 Department of Forensic Medicine, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, India.

Homicide patterns are a useful indicator of social stress in a community, and they provide law-enforcement authorities with helpful information. This study was undertaken at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India, in order to understand the regional pattern of homicide. Data from the last 20 years were analysed. Read More

Forensic Sci Int 2019 Mar 24;299:80-88. Epub 2019 Mar 24.

Forensic Anthropology Center, Texas State University, 601 University Dr, San Marcos, TX, 78666, United States. Electronic address:

Dental and maxillofacial trauma analysis in the forensic context, includes assessment of both living and deceased persons. It is required in all cases where human abuse is suspected and where signs of skeletal trauma are detected in human remains. Skeletal trauma refers to the damage inflicted to bone, teeth and other hard tissues. Read More

J Pediatr Urol 2019 Mar 6. Epub 2019 Mar 6.

Introduction: Little is known about long-term patient-reported outcomes following surgical repair for pediatric blunt urethral trauma.

Objective: The purpose was to evaluate long-term urinary outcomes, sexual function, and quality of life (QOL) of patients who undergo urethroplasty for blunt urethral trauma in childhood.

Study Design: After IRB approval, we retrospectively reviewed the records of patients who sustained blunt urethral injury at ≤18 years and underwent urethroplasty at our institution between 1978 and 2013. Read More

J Interpers Violence 2019 Mar 28:886260519840401. Epub 2019 Mar 28.

2 ESIC Medical College, Faridabad, Haryana, India.

Homicide studies traditionally analyze the prevalence and patterns of homicide by exploring the age and sex of victims, the relationship between victims and perpetrators, and the cause of death. Use of a combination of more than one homicidal method was also found in various studies. Some of them found females as more common victims of multiple methods, whereas the others found males. Read More

Br J Oral Maxillofac Surg 2019 Mar 19. Epub 2019 Mar 19.

Northwick Park Hospital, Watford Road, Harrow HA1 3UJ.

Pseudoaneurysm of the superficial temporal artery is rare. It is typically caused by blunt force to the temporal region, and presents as a painless, preauricular, pulsatile mass during the following weeks. We think that its infrequent incidence and unusual presentation warrants an increase in awareness to aid accurate and timely diagnosis. Read More

Int J Urol 2019 Mar 20. Epub 2019 Mar 20.

Department of Urology, National Defense Medical College, Tokorozawa, Saitama, Japan.

Pelvic fractures from high-energy blunt force trauma can cause injury to the posterior urethra, known as pelvic fracture urethral injury, which is most commonly associated with unstable pelvic fractures. Pelvic fracture urethral injury should be suspected if a patient with pelvic trauma has blood at the meatus and/or difficulty voiding, and retrograde urethrography should be carried out if the patient is stable. Once urethral injury is confirmed, urinary drainage should be established promptly by placement of a suprapubic tube or primary realignment of the urethra over a urethral catheter. Read More

Anthropol Anz 2019 Mar 13. Epub 2019 Mar 13.

Durham University, Durham DH1 3LE, United Kingdom.

Elevated levels of non-accidental fractures in different populations, regions, and time periods are considered an indicator for violence within a population. Whilst soldiers from a mass grave contribute unambiguously to the bioarchaeological evidence for the presence of warfare in medieval England, we aim to further analyse the absence of temporal variation in the general population-wide fracture distribution pattern. A detailed study, consisting only of clearly dated and aged male individuals was conducted to investigate the impact of prolonged warfare and general instability by means of blunt force fracture distribution patterns in early (AD 1066-1100), middle (AD 1100-1380) and late (AD 1380-1558) medieval England. Read More

Forensic Sci Med Pathol 2019 Mar 4. Epub 2019 Mar 4.

Division of Digital and Biometric Traces, Netherlands Forensic Institute, Laan van Ypenburg 6, 2497 GB, The Hague, The Netherlands.

Inflicted blunt force trauma and/or repetitive acceleration-deceleration trauma in infants can cause brain injury. Yet, the exact pathophysiologic mechanism with its associated thresholds remains unclear. In this systematic review an overview of animal models for shaking trauma and their findings on tissue damage will be provided. Read More

CASE (Phila) 2019 Feb 25;3(1):39-42. Epub 2018 Oct 25.

Congenital Heart Center, UF Health Shands Children's Hospital, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida.

Emerg Med Pract 2019 Mar 1;21(Suppl 3):1-2. Epub 2019 Mar 1.

Department of Emergency Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY

Blunt cardiac injury describes a range of cardiac injury patterns resulting from blunt force trauma to the chest. Due to the multitude of potential anatomical injuries blunt force trauma can cause, the clinical manifestations may range from simple ectopic beats to fulminant cardiac failure and death. Because there is no definitive, gold-standard diagnostic test for cardiac injury, the emergency clinician must utilize an enhanced index of suspicion in the clinical setting combined with an evidence-based diagnostic testing approach in order to arrive at the diagnosis. Read More

Ophthalmologe 2019 Feb 27. Epub 2019 Feb 27.

Universitätsklinik und Poliklinik für Augenheilkunde, Martin-Luther-Universität Halle-Wittenberg, Ernst-Grube-Str. 40, 06120, Halle (Saale), Deutschland.

Introduction: Subhyaloidal premacular hemorrhage (SPH) causes a painless acute loss of vision with central scotoma. Typically, it can be caused by vascular retinal diseases or in the context of a Valsalva retinopathy. Ocular trauma is a less common cause of SPH. Read More

Emerg Med Pract 2019 03 1;21(3):1-20. Epub 2019 Mar 1.

Associate Professor, Residency Program Director, SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY.

Blunt cardiac injury describes a range of cardiac injury patterns resulting from blunt force trauma to the chest. Due to the multitude of potential anatomical injuries blunt force trauma can cause, the clinical manifestations may range from simple ectopic beats to fulminant cardiac failure and death. Because there is no definitive, gold-standard diagnostic test for cardiac injury, the emergency clinician must utilize an enhanced index of suspicion in the clinical setting combined with an evidence-based diagnostic testing approach in order to arrive at the diagnosis. Read More

JMIR Res Protoc 2019 Feb 22;8(2):e12107. Epub 2019 Feb 22.

Department of Orthopaedics, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, United States.

Background: Heterotopic ossification (HO) is a significant complication for wounded warriors with traumatic limb loss. Although this pathologic condition negatively impacts the general population, ectopic bone has been observed with higher frequency for service members injured in Iraq and Afghanistan due to blast injuries. Several factors, including a traumatic insult, bioburden, tourniquet and wound vacuum usage, and bone fractures or fragments have been associated with increased HO for service members. Read More

Int J Legal Med 2019 Feb 21. Epub 2019 Feb 21.

Zurich Institute of Forensic Medicine, Department of Forensic Medicine and Imaging, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190/52, CH-8057, Zurich, Switzerland.

Blows with axes, machetes or blunt objects such as baseball bats, truncheons, etc. are often parried, resulting in typical parry injuries, or so-called nightstick fractures to the ulna. In this study, we sought to assess the impact energy required to break the ulna in such parry incidents in an experimental setting using semisynthetic and fully synthetic models. Read More

J Orthop Surg Res 2019 Feb 19;14(1):58. Epub 2019 Feb 19.

Extremity Trauma and Regenerative Medicine, US Army Institute of Surgical Research, San Antonio Military Medical Center, JBSA Ft Sam Houston, San Antonio, TX, USA.

Background: Singular traumatic insults, such as bone fracture, typically initiate an appropriate immune response necessary to restore the host to pre-insult homeostasis with limited damage to self. However, multiple concurrent insults, such as a combination of fracture, blunt force trauma, and burns (polytrauma), are clinically perceived to result in abnormal immune response leading to inadequate healing and resolution. To investigate this phenomenon, we created a model rat model of polytrauma. Read More

J Orthop Trauma 2019 Feb;33 Suppl 2:S32-S36

Division of Orthopaedic Trauma, Rutgers, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ.

Objectives: We present a series of skeletally immature patients sustaining acetabular fractures. We hypothesized that if the secondary ossification centers of the acetabulum are not completely ossified, fractures often will not be identified on plain radiography. Our objective was to determine the efficacy of diagnostic plain radiography in these patients. Read More

J Synchrotron Radiat 2019 Jan 1;26(Pt 1):89-95. Epub 2019 Jan 1.

Weapons and Materials Research Directorate, Army Research Laboratory, USA.

An ex vivo blunt-force loading experiment is reported that may, in the future, provide insight into the molecular structural changes occurring in load-induced conditions such as traumatic brain injury (TBI). TBI appears to manifest in changes in multiple structures and elements within the brain and nervous system. Individuals with a TBI may suffer from cognitive and/or behavioral impairments which can adversely affect their quality of life. Read More

J Radiol Case Rep 2018 May 31;12(5):1-11. Epub 2018 May 31.

Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Mater Misericordiae University Hospital, Dublin, Republic of Ireland.

We present the case of a mixed martial arts (MMA) cage fighter who presented to the emergency department with a right sided common carotid artery pseudoaneurysm as a result of a neck trauma at an MMA event. We discuss the management of blunt force neck trauma, differential diagnosis, imaging findings and review the literature on blunt cerebrovascular injury following blunt force injury to the neck. Read More

Heliyon 2018 Dec 8;4(12):e01010. Epub 2018 Dec 8.

Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Canterbury, Private Bag 4800, Christchurch, 8140, New Zealand.

Finite element (FE) models of the infant human head may be used to discriminate injury patterns resulting from accidents (e.g. falls) and from abusive head trauma (AHT). Read More

J Mech Behav Biomed Mater 2019 Mar 26;91:139-148. Epub 2018 Nov 26.

Department of Anatomy, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand Department of Anatomy, Dunedin, New Zealand; Department of Orthopedic and Trauma Surgery, University of Leipzig, Germany; Fraunhofer Institute for Machine Tools and Forming Technology IWU, Dresden, Germany. Electronic address:

Introduction: Colonoscopy is a commonly-performed procedure to diagnose pathology of the large intestine. Perforation of the colon is a rare but feared complication. It is currently unclear how much force is actually required to cause such injury nor how this is altered in certain diseases. Read More

Neurosurg Focus 2018 Dec;45(6):E13

OBJECTIVESince 2007, a continuous neurosurgery emergency service has been available in the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) field hospital in Mazar-e-Sharif (MeS), Afghanistan. The object of this study was to assess the number and range of surgical procedures performed on the spine in the period from 2007 to 2014.METHODSThis is a retrospective analysis of the annual neurosurgical caseload statistics from July 2007 to October 2014 (92 months). Read More

Turk J Emerg Med 2018 Dec 5;18(4):179-181. Epub 2018 Jul 5.

Department of Surgery, Al Rahba Hospital, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

The term handlebar hernia had been applied to describe the traumatic hernia that result from a handlebar-like blunt objects. The force of the blunt trauma is insufficient to breach the elastic skin, yet, it can cause abdominal wall musculature disruption. Serious intraabdominal injuries can result which may be evident at the time of trauma or may be delayed. Read More

Int J Paleopathol 2019 Mar 3;24:197-200. Epub 2018 Dec 3.

School of Archaeology and Ancient History, University of Leicester, University Road, Leicester, LE1 7RH, UK. Electronic address:

Trauma associated with slaughter is identified occasionally archaeologically in the cranial remains of domesticated animals, with evidence for pole-axing occurring in Europe, especially from the Roman period onwards. The injury typically extends through the frontal bone and sinuses to penetrate the braincase, causing haemorrhage, loss of consciousness, brain damage, and death. Evidence for slaughter methods in the British Neolithic, however, is lacking. Read More

Forensic Sci Med Pathol 2018 Dec 1. Epub 2018 Dec 1.

Institute of Forensic Medicine, University of Belgrade - School of Medicine, 31a Deligradska str., Belgrade, 11000, Serbia.

An accident occurred at a construction site and a 27-year-old worker was fatally injured. Equipped with personal protective equipment (helmet and a safety belt), he was standing on an 8-meter-high platform holding a large hose that was attached to a pipe connected to a concrete pump truck. Whilst in use the pipe broke and the hose sent the man flying with force, knocking down the platform railing. Read More

Ulus Travma Acil Cerrahi Derg 2018 Nov;24(6):563-568

Department of Ophthalmology, Ankara Training and Research Hospital, Ankara-Turkey.

Background: The purpose of this study was to investigate factors affecting wound dehiscence due to blunt trauma following penetrating keratoplasty (PK) and the clinical outcomes.

Methods: The medical records of patients who experienced blunt traumatic wound dehiscence after PK between 1995 and 2015 were analyzed retrospectively. The incidence and etiology of the trauma, the time interval between PK and globe rupture, final graft clarity, best-corrected visual acuity, complications, secondary surgeries, and factors potentially affecting wound dehiscence size were recorded. Read More

J Trauma Acute Care Surg 2019 Feb;86(2):326-336

From the Department of Urology (L.L.Y.), College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida; Department of Surgery (A.A.M), Cleveland VAMC, Case Western Reserve University; Department of Surgery (J.J.C.), MetroHealth Medical Center, Cleveland, Ohio; Department of Surgery (B.R.), Harborview Medical Center, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington; Department of Surgery (J.K.), West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia; Department of Surgery (M.A.P.), University of South Dakota, Sanford School of Medicine, Vermillion, South Dakota; Department of Surgery (J.K.L.), University of Illinois at Chicago, Illinois; and Department of Urology (P.D.), Minneapolis VAMC, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Background: The diagnostic evaluation and clinical management of bladder injuries caused by blunt force trauma are variable. We aim to formulate a practice management guideline using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) methodology.

Methods: The working group, patient, intervention, comparator, outcome (PICO), formulated four questions regarding the following topics: (1) diagnostic evaluation based on patient baseline risk of bladder injury (computed tomography cystography vs. Read More

World J Surg 2019 Apr;43(4):1007-1013

Department of Trauma and Burn Surgery, Stroger Hospital of Cook County, Cook County Health and Hospital System and Rush University, 1950 West Polk Street, 8th floor, Chicago, IL, 60612, USA.

Background: Morbid obesity is usually accompanied by both subcutaneous and visceral fat accumulation. Fat can mimic an air bag, absorbing the force of a collision. We hypothesized that morbid obesity is mechanically protective for hollow viscus organs in blunt abdominal trauma (BAT). Read More

Fa Yi Xue Za Zhi 2018 Oct 25;34(5):538-541. Epub 2018 Oct 25.

Department of Forensic Pathology, School of Forensic Medicine, China Medical University, Shenyang 110122, Liaoning Province, China.

Commotio cordis （CC） is the acute death caused by the cardiac rhythm disorder after a sudden blunt external force to the precordium of a healthy person without previous heart disease. As one type of violent heart damage, CC is rare with relatively small external force and sudden death, therefore causing disputes. This paper reviews the epidemiology, mechanisms and the key points in forensic identification of CC, discusses the identification and antidiastole of CC, myocardial contusion, sudden cardiac death and death from inhibition, and provides assistance to forensic pathologists to identify such causes of death. Read More

Forensic Sci Int 2019 Jan 5;294:34-38. Epub 2018 Nov 5.

Netherlands Forensic Institute, Laan van Ypenburg 6, 2497 GB The Hague, The Netherlands.

Aim: To study the visibility of standardized inflicted bruises by using an alternate ('forensic') light source compared to a white light source.

Methods: Bruises were inflicted on the flexor site of the forearm (halfway in the middle) in 76 adults, by suddenly allowing a cylindrical metal object (400g) with rounded edges to drop for 1m in a vertically positioned tube. At 0. Read More

J AAPOS 2018 Dec 28;22(6):433-437.e2. Epub 2018 Oct 28.

Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Pediatric Ophthalmology and Ocular Genetics, Wills Eye Hospital, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Electronic address:

Purpose: To provide detailed description of pediatric traumatic retinoschisis.

Methods: The medical records of children with either abusive head trauma and traumatic macular retinoschisis seen at a single center from 1993 to 2006 were reviewed retrospectively. Clinical details were extracted from the record and photographic documentation. Read More

Forensic Sci Med Pathol 2019 03 3;15(1):13-22. Epub 2018 Nov 3.

Department of Legal Medicine, Osaka City University Medical School, Asahi-machi 1-4-3, Abeno, Osaka, 545-8585, Japan.

The present study aimed to determine whether postmortem period, physical constitution, cause of death, and cardiopulmonary resuscitation are associated with positional changes in the postmortem appearance of conjunctival petechiae. We retrospectively investigated serial forensic autopsies from 6 h to 6 days postmortem (n = 442; male, 303; female, 139; median age, 62 years; range, 0-100 years). The causes of death were sharp instrument injury, blunt force trauma, fire, intoxication, asphyxia, drowning, hypothermia, hyperthermia, acute heart failure, and natural causes. Read More

Forensic Sci Med Pathol 2019 03 3;15(1):97-101. Epub 2018 Nov 3.

School of Forensic Medicine, China Medical University, No. 77 Puhe Road, Shenyang North New Area, Shenyang, 110122, People's Republic of China.

Fatal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) caused by anterior communicating artery (ACoA) rupture is a rare event in medicolegal practice. Anatomical variations of the ACoA tend to make its anatomical structure, and as a result, blood flow through it, more complicated, which may increase hemodynamic stress and cause weak spots in the affected blood vessels. Variant ACoAs are prone to rupture in the event of a blunt-force trauma. Read More

Int J Legal Med 2019 Mar 30;133(2):661-668. Epub 2018 Oct 30.

Forensic Anthropology Unit, Institut de Medicina Legal i Cienciès Forense (IMLCFC), Ciutat de la Justícia, Gran Via de les Corts Catalanes, 111 Edifici G, 08075, Barcelona, Spain.

This study aims to improve a previous study that reported new traits to characterize a perimortem fracture pattern in human long bones. This second study aims to acquire further knowledge about these perimortem traits, specifically by improving the experimental setting-by using a Blunt Force Trauma Simulator-and increasing the sample size with a total of 43 autopsy specimens and 57 reproduced fractures. Additionally, we investigated whether these traits could be related to muscular contractions by adding axial compression in the experimentally fractured specimens. Read More

Int J Behav Med 2018 Dec;25(6):698-705

Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA.

Background: Nearly 2.8 million people are hospitalized in the USA annually for traumatic injuries, which include orthopedic and internal organ injuries. Early post-injury pain is predictive of poor outcomes, including inability to eventually return to work, and long-term psychological distress. Read More

J Vasc Surg 2019 Mar 3;69(3):857-862. Epub 2018 Oct 3.

Division of Pediatric Surgery, Department of Surgery, Riley Hospital for Children, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Ind.

Objective: The purpose of this investigation was to determine our limb-related contemporary pediatric revascularization perioperative and follow-up outcomes after major blunt and penetrating trauma.

Methods: A retrospective review was performed of a prospectively maintained pediatric trauma database spanning January 2010 to December 2017 to capture all level I trauma activations that resulted in a peripheral arterial revascularization procedure. All preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative continuous variables are reported as a mean ± standard deviation; categorical variables are reported as a percentage of the population of interest. Read More

Am Surg 2018 Sep;84(9):1462-1465

Rib fractures represent up to 55 per cent of thoracic blunt traumatic injuries and lead to significant mortality and morbidity. The aim of this study is to determine whether not only number but also the location of rib fractures can be used to risk stratify patients. This is a retrospective study of all blunt trauma patients who presented with rib fractures from January 1, 2013 to April 1, 2015 and underwent chest CT. Read More

Int J Paleopathol 2019 Mar 20;24:7-18. Epub 2018 Sep 20.

Memorial University of Newfoundland, Department of Archaeology, Queen's College, 210 Prince Philip Drive, St. John's NL A1B 3R6, Canada; McMaster University, Department of Anthropology, Chester New Hall, 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, ON L8S 4L8, Canada. Electronic address:

Investigating injury recidivism and individuals with multiple injuries is an area of growing interest in bioarchaeology. Differentiating between whether an individual sustained multiple injuries, represented by antemortem healed fractures, in one incident or in multiple incidents over the life course, is a major challenge. This research analyzed the skeletal remains of 721 adults (402 males, 319 females) from five post-medieval cemeteries from London, UK, known to include working class individuals for evidence of skeletal trauma - fractures, myositis ossificans, subluxations/dislocations, blunt force trauma, and sharp force trauma. Read More

Anthropol Anz 2018 Dec;75(4):291-296

Section of Forensic Pathology, Department of Forensic Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Denmark.

This study presents and discusses the differential diagnosis of a unique case of facial trauma. The adult male skull was excavated in 1948 from Uglemose (Owl Bog) outside of Birket, on the island of Lolland (Denmark). Carbon-14 samples from an adult tibia excavated with the skull dates to the end of the Danish Bronze Age and transition period into the pre-Roman Iron Age. Read More

Ophthalmic Surg Lasers Imaging Retina 2018 09;49(9):731

A 13-year-old female with a history of regressed retinopathy of prematurity presented with new-onset floaters after sustaining blunt force trauma to her left eye. Best-corrected visual acuity was 20/20 in both eyes (OU), with an intraocular pressure of 14 mm Hg and 15 mm Hg in the right eye (OD) and left eye (OS), respectively. Exam under anesthesia revealed an unremarkable anterior segment OU, including no hyphema or subluxated crystalline lens. Read More

Injury 2018 Nov 6;49(11):2024-2031. Epub 2018 Sep 6.

Trauma Unit, Amsterdam UMC, Location AMC, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Electronic address:

Introduction: There is no consensus on how pelvic X-rays should be ordered selectively in blunt trauma patients which may save time, reduce radiation exposure and costs. The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to assess the need for routine pelvic X-rays in awake, respiratory and hemodynamically (HD) stable blunt trauma patients without signs of pelvic fracture. Criteria to identify patients who could safely forgo pelvic X-ray were evaluated. Read More

Neurosurgery 2019 Jan;84(1):2-6

Division of Neurosurgery, John H. Stroger, Jr Hospital of Cook County and Department of Neurological Surgery, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois.

Background: The thoracic and lumbar ("thoracolumbar") spine are the most commonly injured region of the spine in blunt trauma. Trauma of the thoracolumbar spine is frequently associated with spinal cord injury and other visceral and bony injuries. Prolonged pain and disability after thoracolumbar trauma present a significant burden on patients and society. Read More

J Orthop 2018 Dec 28;15(4):917-921. Epub 2018 Aug 28.

Royal Stoke University Hospital, Newcastle Road, Stoke-on-Trent, ST4 6QG, United Kingdom.

Background: Morel-Lavallée lesions can occur in polytrauma patients. Post-operative seroma is more frequently encountered, holds many pathological similarities with MLLs and continues to challenge plastic surgeons. We aimed to provide a comprehensive overview of MLLs to increase awareness of optimum treatment options amongst plastic surgery teams, and to provide a management algorithm that may also be applied to post-operative seromas. Read More

Am J Forensic Med Pathol 2018 Dec;39(4):341-344

From the Department of Pathology at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor; and Wayne County Medical Examiner's Office, Detroit, MI.

Instruments that create stab wounds are required to possess tips of sufficient strength and rigidity to breach the integrity of the skin. Knives, the most common weapons used to create stab wounds, have cutting edges that cleave the skin, leaving unabraded margins. On rare occasions, blunt objects are driven with sufficient force to pierce the skin and become impaled within the body. Read More

Injury 2018 Oct 7;49(10):1758-1762. Epub 2018 Aug 7.

University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), Department of Orthopedics, Birmingham, AL, United States.

Introduction: Precise diagnosis of distal tibiofibular syndesmotic injury is challenging, and a gold standard diagnostic test has still not been established. Tibiofibular clear space identified on radiographic imaging is considered the most reliable indicator of the injury. The Cotton test is the most widely used intraoperative technique to evaluate the syndesmotic integrity although it has its limitations. Read More

J Forensic Sci 2019 Mar 14;64(2):375-384. Epub 2018 Aug 14.

Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine, 65 Kavanagh Street, Southbank, Victoria, 3006, Australia.

Fatal falls from heights (˃3 m) often result in blunt force trauma (BFT) to the skeleton. The fracture patterns that result from this BFT mechanism are well understood in forensic anthropology and forensic pathology; however, details of the specific types of fractures that result remain poorly documented. The aim of this study was to provide a detailed examination of the types of fractures that may result from fatal high falls. Read More