Short description

The forensic examination of deceased victims of gunshot trauma is a frequent challenge in which the cause and circumstances of death must be reconstructed. In such cases most of the information is given by the analysis of soft tissues. However, in some forensic cases such as decomposed bodies this information often cannot be retrieved. In these cases, compartments of the body more resistant to decomposition, such as the bones, may provide clues about the circumstances of trauma and death. Whereas cranial gunshot injuries have been well studied, information on the long bones is scarce and their assessment remain difficult and controversial. In a recent study on gunshot trauma in long bones, a specific pattern based on several macroscopic distinguishing traits was reported. The proposed research will take that study a step further by changing the variables used in the previous research (methodology,) such us shoot distance, type of ammunition, impact side. The aim of this research will therefore be to analyse the potential changes in the resulting gunshot fracture pattern. Specifically, we propose to reproduce, characterise, and discuss the cortical traits related to ballistic long bone trauma and to acquire more knowledge on the underlying fracture mechanism. The study is based on an experimental analysis. Thus, gunshot trauma will be inflicted to donated human long bones under controlled conditions, reconstructed, analysed and visualized with a high-speed camera. The present research proposal constitutes a unique opportunity to assess experimentally the effects of gunshot trauma on human bones.

Methodology:

1. Experimental gunshot trauma in human long bones. Ballistic laboratory Mossos d’Esquadra de la Generalitat de Catalunya (police of Catalonia).
2. Macroscopic examination of the fracture patterns. Forensic Pathology Service, Institute for Legal Medicine and Forensic Science of Catalonia (IMLCFC) in collaboration with Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB).
3. Analysis of trauma cases (MUSEUM-IMLCFC). Forensic Pathology Service, Institute of Legal Medicine and Forensic Science of Catalonia (IMLCFC).
4. Autopsy gunshot trauma cases (if available). Forensic Pathology Service, Institute of Legal Medicine and Forensic Science of Catalonia (IMLCFC).

Required/ Recommended expertise

Human anatomy / biology / biomedicine

References

1. Christensen AM, Passalacqua NV, Bartelink EJ (2014) Forensic anthropology: current methods and practice. Academic Press, Oxford
2. DiMaio VJ (2015) Gunshot wounds: practical aspects of firearms, ballistics, and forensic techniques. CRC Press, Boca Raton
3. Martrille L, Symes SA (2019) Interpretation of long bones ballistic trauma. Forensic Sci Int 302:109890
4. Schwab N, Galtés I, Winter-Buchwalder M, Ortega-Sánchez M, Jordana X. Osteonal Microcracking Pattern: A Potential Vitality Marker in Human Bone Trauma. Biology (Basel). 2023 Mar 3;12(3):399. doi: 10.3390/biology12030399. PMID: 36979091; PMCID: PMC10045383.
5. Schwab, N., Jordana, X., Soler, J., Garrido X, Brillas, P, Savio A, Lavín S, Ortega-Sánchez M, Galtés I. Can Synbone® cylinders and deer femurs reproduce ballistic fracture patterns observed in human long bones?. J Mater Sci 58, 4970–4986 (2023). https://doi-org.are.uab.cat/10.1007/s10853-023-08333-6
6. Symes SA, Ericka N, L’Abbe ́ ENC, Wolff I, Dirkmaat DC (2012) 17 interpreting traumatic. Companion Forensic Anthropol 39:340
7. Veenstra A, Kerkhoff W, Oostra RJ, Galtés I (2022) Gunshot trauma in human long bones: towards practical diagnostic guidance for forensic anthropologists. Forensic Science, Medicine and Pathology https://doi.org/10.1007/s12024-022-00479-0
8. Winter-Buchwalder M, Schwab N, Galtés I, Ortega-Sánchez M, Scheirs S, Jordana X. Microcracking pattern in fractured bones: new approach for distinguishing between peri- and postmortem fractures. Int J Legal Med. 2022 Sep 6. doi: 10.1007/s00414-022-02875-1. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 36066767.

Information

Institute / Company: Institute of Legal Medicine and Forensic Science of Catalonia (IMLCFC) and Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB)
Department: Pathology Service
City: Barcelona
Country: Spain
Supervisor: Ignasi Galtés (IMLCFC) & Xavier Jordana (UAB)
UvA Examiner: Roelof-Jan Oostra