Penetrating Trauma

Stab Wounds

Low velocity

Low energy penetrating trauma

Multiple wounds from a single weapon

Knife, scissors and ice picks are common weapons

Injury is often limited to depth and area of penetration

May leave only small external injury with significant damage inside

Gunshot Wounds

Higher velocity weapons deliver more energy into PT

Leave a permanent cavity in the body and also create a temporary cavity when the projectile enters the body

Projectile pathway is often erratic

Gunshot Wounds - Cavitation

Permanent cavity formed by the pathway of the projectile

Temporary cavitation is relative to the energy that comes with the projectile

The greater the energy the greater the temporary cavity

Has the same effect as an explosion in the body

Creates a large exit wound in comparison to entry wound

Gunshot Wounds - Ricochet

Bullet does not follow a straight path

Increases tissue damage

Pathway becomes erratic

If no exit would then all of the kinetic energy has been transferred to the body

Gunshot Wounds - Entry and Exit wounds

Entry wound often size of projectile

Exit wound can be considerably larger and not always in the expected place