Hi folks.
I am doing a gunshot-related project for my MSc and I have a case in my database that has unusual features. Need to know if anyone has seen something similar.
Perforating gunshot wound to the lower leg, only fragment detected was a small lead speck. Two breaches in the lower leg, the anterior one is unusual. Clothing worn was jeans, not available for inspection. Patient not providing info.
If anyone has seen something similar please let me know.
bone fragments made the holes I would say
There were no fractures, no neuro-vascular damage, patient discharged same day.
Can you verify that the spec was lead and not another metal.
Looks like low velocity fragment wound. Shard of something light moving at intermediate speed.
Be interested to see what actually caused this. Any idea on the caliber and range?
Bill Alexander
If the entry/exit were reserved I would guess maybe the bullets Core and Jacket separated and each made its own exit. But a wild guess would be that the projectile impacted sideways (I’M assuming a rifle bullet) on the left side of the Anterior breach and the right side of the wound is a tear. Then the bullet rotates somewhat inside the leg and exits at the postero-lateral breach.
The anterior is clearly the exit wound, as evidenced by the lack of any missing skin. The skin simply fissured to allow the bullet to exit. You can pull the skin back together to close the wound.
The large tear appears to be where the bullet exited. The small tear is nothing more than skin that has been stretched beyond its elastic limits.
Can you verify that the spec was lead and not another metal.
The radiological density is the same as other known specks of lead. It is definitely not a piece of mild steel and definitely not a piece of jacketing.
The anterior is clearly the exit wound, as evidenced by the lack of any missing skin
Unfortunately for me I have cases where this doesn’t happen so I can’t make that assumption here.
The large tear appears to be where the bullet exited. The small tear is nothing more than skin that has been stretched beyond its elastic limits.
That part could be right, I don’t know. The issue is I don’t have another case with clothing evidence or bone fragment evidence where I can prove tractory. I have no more reason to go with that theory than Phila’s suggestion:
I would guess maybe the bullets Core and Jacket separated and each made its own exit
Any idea on the caliber and range?
Sorry Bill I don’t have that info.
Are you positive that the smaller anterior wound (on the right as depicted in the photo) was caused by the same … whatever it was … that caused the other wounds, and not pre-existing or caused by the patient picking at the wound?
Are you positive that the smaller anterior wound (on the right as depicted in the photo) was caused by the same … whatever it was … that caused the other wounds, and not pre-existing or caused by the patient picking at the wound?
That is an option also. All I can say so far is that the wound appearance is unusual compared to other wounds I have seen.
If nobody else has seen something similar, I will just have to say that there are multiple possibilities for how this happened and leave it there.
Thanks for replies, all.