Archiwum medycyny sa̧dowej i kryminologii
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Arch Med Sadowej Kryminol · Apr 2009
Case Reports[Postmortem CT examination with 3D reconstruction in cases referring to casualties of traffic accidents].
The authors presented results of postmortem examination in five cases of victims of fatal traffic accidents (four pedestrians and one motorcyclist). Prior to "classic" forensic autopsies, the bodies were examined employing CT imaging. The results are presented in the table along with 3D and 2D CT images. The enclosed CD includes 3D animations.
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The authors draw attention to the importance of X-ray examinations in craniocerebral gunshot injuries. A life-saving neurosurgical operation of a victim resulted in changes occurring not only in the soft tissue, but also in the bony structures of the cranium, which practically rendered impossible any assessment of and differentiation between the location of entrance and exit wounds during autopsy. The assessment of preoperative head X-ray demonstrated the presence of characteristic crater-like bone defects, what allowed for determining the location of the entrance and exit wounds. The medico-legal examination of bone defects indicated that the entrance wound was situated on the left side, contrary to information provided by hospital medical records.
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Bullet embolism is an uncommon consequence of penetrating firearm injuries, rarely observed in everyday forensic practice. The present report presents two cases of gunshot bullet embolism. ⋯ The second case pertains to a gunshot in the head, with the bullet shot from a point blank range. The wound channel had a downward course and terminated in the superior vena cava at the level of the pericardium, where from the bullet was transported down the inferior vena cava to the right femoral vein.
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Arch Med Sadowej Kryminol · Apr 2008
[A serious group accident in Zabrze-Bielszowice Coal Mine--medico-legal evaluation of health consequences for the purpose of criminal proceedings].
On February 23/24, 2003, in Zabrze-Bielszowice coal mine, 840 m below the surface, a methane blast occurred twice. In group accidents, a total number of 35 miners were injured; the majority of them experienced extensive thermal injuries. The authors compiled a list of body injuries, including their character, severity, initial clinical assessment and types of employed medical procedures, taking into consideration also medical certification of the Social Insurance and results of medico-legal examinations of the miners. Department of Forensic Medicine in Katowice prepared comprehensive medico-legal opinions during preparatory prosecuting proceedings followed by precise, individualized opinions for the court, concerning legal qualification of the injuries, their underlying mechanisms, but also mental and physical suffering, treatment-associated hardships and prognosis for the future.