DESCRIPTION:
Forensic Pathology of Trauma provides practical advice to pathologists about the conduct and analysis of the forensic autopsy in a case of trauma. This volume reinforces the systematic manner in which the forensic pathologist must approach all medicolegal trauma death investigations in order to avoid common mistakes that may confuse accurate interpretation of a case or compromise a medicolegal investigation. The authors present a step-wise approach to the entire forensic investigation, from the collation of information about the death scene and the background of the deceased, to the external and internal examination of the body, concluding with tests on the evidentiary material collected postmortem.
The introductory chapter covers risk management in the autopsy and is followed by a focused examination of postmortem changes, the "great pretenders" in forensic pathology, and the ways in which they can mimic or obscure trauma. Each of the subsequent eight chapters addresses common medicolegal "syndromes" or trauma patterns, providing comprehensive coverage of both common and uncommon causes of each of these patterns. Trauma patterns addressed include those associated with asphyxia, thermal injury, bodies recovered from water, penetrating trauma, blunt trauma, craniocerebral trauma, vertebrospinal trauma, and sudden neurological death.
CONTENTS:
CHAPTER 1. The "Complete Autopsy": The Management of Risk
CHAPTER 2. Postmortem Changes: The "Great Pretenders"
CHAPTER 3. Asphyxia
CHAPTER 4. Thermal Injury
CHAPTER 5. Bodies Recovered From Water
CHAPTER 6. Penetrating Trauma: Close-Range Firearm Wounds
CHAPTER 7. Penetrating Trauma: Sharp Force Injuries
CHAPTER 8. Blunt Trauma: With Reference to Planes, Trains, and Automobiles
CHAPTER 9. Craniocerebral Trauma and Vertebrospinal Trauma
CHAPTER 10. Sudden Neurological Death
