ASM 275: Forensic Anthropology Exam 3 Study
Guide
• You should concentrate on obvious definitions:
o Perimortem, Antemortem, Postmortem trauma -How to differentiate (Lecture 14; Lab 12)
▪ Perimortem trauma: injury happened near time of death; could be used to link to medical records
◆Perimortem (LEGAL): around the time of death
◆Perimortem (Skeletal trauma): the period before which signs of healing are evident; could mean
at the time of death-several weeks after death
◆Features: no sign of healing, 1. Sharp edges of fracture & lines 2. Hinging; not seen in postmortem
fractures, 3. Fracture lines 4. Angled broken edges (jagged/lightening shaped) 5. Hematoma
staining
▪ Antemortem trauma: injury happened before death; could be used to reconstruct the cause and
manner of death
▪ Postmortem trauma: there is no injury, the one breakage occurred after death; bone breakage does
not contribute to forensic analysis.
◆Features: 1. Does not have fracture lines 2. Greenstick & hinge fractures present 3. Breaks occur
at right angles to bone shaf
Blunt Force Trauma (Lecture 16; Lab 14 Ta’ala et al article)
• Blunt force trauma: Any injury resulting from a blow that impacts over a relatively wide area of the bone.
Generally caused by compression and bending and results in the bone discontinuities & fracture lines.
*Includes punching; typically results in relatively CLEAN, SIMPLE FRACTURES, without significant crushing or
comminution.
• Types of objects: pick axe handles, poles, bamboo sticks, axes, ox-cart handles, or shovels. This includes
some basic types of injury:
o Blunt instruments (crowbars, clubs, baseball bats)
o Car/train/plane crashes
o Abrasions of all kinds (Road rash)
o Bites & Falls
• Laceration, contusion, abrasion
o Laceration: A tear in the skin caused by a blunt instrument. This is not the same thing as a cut, it can
be distinguish from a sharp force injury, lacerations often have contusions, strings of flesh)
o Contusion: A bruise, are almost always present in a blunt force, the bruise changes colors from lush bluish
red to dark purple, then to green, then yellow, then brown, this can helps us tell difference between ante
and perimortem trauma.)
o Abrasion: Means a superficial scraping and or stretching, is the scraping and removal of superficial layers
of skin.
▪ Road Rash: Body dragged along paved area.
▪ Stretching Abrasion: Caused by stretching of skin beyond its elastic tolerance, asi is also often seen in
road accidents)
• Radiating and concentric fractures
o Radiating Fractures: Most common, radiate out from impact area
o Concentric Fractures: (Also called hoop fracture lines, high velocity projectile wounds cause concentric rings
to form in and out beveling forces), these are secondary features associated with trauma.
• Buttressing and LeFort fractures
o Buttressing: 4 main buttresses of the cranial vault, mid occipital, posterior temporal, anterior temporal,
midfrontal. Thicker areas with greater stability, force from a blow to the vault will cause fractures between
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, the buttresses
o LeFort fractures: Well-known patterns
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Guide
• You should concentrate on obvious definitions:
o Perimortem, Antemortem, Postmortem trauma -How to differentiate (Lecture 14; Lab 12)
▪ Perimortem trauma: injury happened near time of death; could be used to link to medical records
◆Perimortem (LEGAL): around the time of death
◆Perimortem (Skeletal trauma): the period before which signs of healing are evident; could mean
at the time of death-several weeks after death
◆Features: no sign of healing, 1. Sharp edges of fracture & lines 2. Hinging; not seen in postmortem
fractures, 3. Fracture lines 4. Angled broken edges (jagged/lightening shaped) 5. Hematoma
staining
▪ Antemortem trauma: injury happened before death; could be used to reconstruct the cause and
manner of death
▪ Postmortem trauma: there is no injury, the one breakage occurred after death; bone breakage does
not contribute to forensic analysis.
◆Features: 1. Does not have fracture lines 2. Greenstick & hinge fractures present 3. Breaks occur
at right angles to bone shaf
Blunt Force Trauma (Lecture 16; Lab 14 Ta’ala et al article)
• Blunt force trauma: Any injury resulting from a blow that impacts over a relatively wide area of the bone.
Generally caused by compression and bending and results in the bone discontinuities & fracture lines.
*Includes punching; typically results in relatively CLEAN, SIMPLE FRACTURES, without significant crushing or
comminution.
• Types of objects: pick axe handles, poles, bamboo sticks, axes, ox-cart handles, or shovels. This includes
some basic types of injury:
o Blunt instruments (crowbars, clubs, baseball bats)
o Car/train/plane crashes
o Abrasions of all kinds (Road rash)
o Bites & Falls
• Laceration, contusion, abrasion
o Laceration: A tear in the skin caused by a blunt instrument. This is not the same thing as a cut, it can
be distinguish from a sharp force injury, lacerations often have contusions, strings of flesh)
o Contusion: A bruise, are almost always present in a blunt force, the bruise changes colors from lush bluish
red to dark purple, then to green, then yellow, then brown, this can helps us tell difference between ante
and perimortem trauma.)
o Abrasion: Means a superficial scraping and or stretching, is the scraping and removal of superficial layers
of skin.
▪ Road Rash: Body dragged along paved area.
▪ Stretching Abrasion: Caused by stretching of skin beyond its elastic tolerance, asi is also often seen in
road accidents)
• Radiating and concentric fractures
o Radiating Fractures: Most common, radiate out from impact area
o Concentric Fractures: (Also called hoop fracture lines, high velocity projectile wounds cause concentric rings
to form in and out beveling forces), these are secondary features associated with trauma.
• Buttressing and LeFort fractures
o Buttressing: 4 main buttresses of the cranial vault, mid occipital, posterior temporal, anterior temporal,
midfrontal. Thicker areas with greater stability, force from a blow to the vault will cause fractures between
This study source was downloaded by 100000852681095 from CourseHero.com on 112-02-2022 20:29:47 GMT -
06:00
https://www.coursehero.com/file/41630154/Exam-3-Study-Guide-Filled-Out-2docx/
, the buttresses
o LeFort fractures: Well-known patterns
This study source was downloaded by 100000852681095 from CourseHero.com on 112-02-2022 20:29:47 GMT -
06:00
https://www.coursehero.com/file/41630154/Exam-3-Study-Guide-Filled-Out-2docx/
