Electric or traumatic injury? The role of histopathological investigations

Abstract

Analysis of wounds is crucial in forensic medicine to prove how an injury was caused. In many cases, microscopic analysis may be decisive. It is often difficult to distinguish macroscopic skin lesions resulting from electrical, mechanical and from thermal trauma where these occur simultaneously and to formulate a correct differential diagnosis. We report two cases in which the injuries found on the bodies and the manner of death raised uncertainty. An autopsy was performed. External examination of the bodies showed skin injuries that needed histopathological analysis to reconstruct the dynamics and the manner of death which has an important role in doubtful cases.