Two peculiar cases of cranial fractures running through craniotomy burr holes: may this be a kind of "exception" to the Puppe rule.

Cranial fractures Craniotomy burr holes Exception Forensic anthropology Puppe’s rule

Journal

International journal of legal medicine
ISSN: 1437-1596
Titre abrégé: Int J Legal Med
Pays: Germany
ID NLM: 9101456

Informations de publication

Date de publication:
Jul 2022
Historique:
received: 28 10 2021
accepted: 08 02 2022
pubmed: 26 2 2022
medline: 9 6 2022
entrez: 25 2 2022
Statut: ppublish

Résumé

A correct assessment on the position, path, and direction of fracture lines is crucial when the sequence of different injuries on the skull has to be ascertained. In this context, the so-called Puppe's rule on intersecting fracture lines has always been considered a cornerstone of such an investigation. However, there is one factor that has never been previously considered: how do fracture lines behave when they reach the edges of an old and remodeled hole from a previous craniotomy? Two peculiar cases are presented of subjects undergoing cranial fractures due to blunt force trauma (case 1) and gunshot (case 2). Both previously underwent neurosurgical operations with persistence of the burr holes produced by the craniotomy drill (15 and 20 years before death). What was arguable, according to Puppe's rule, was that the fracture lines, when at the edge of the craniotomy hole, stopped. However, what has been detected was different than what expected: fracture lines continued exactly in the opposite direction, as though they were "skipping" the hole, following the same direction and the same axis and stopping a few centimeters over on the opposite side of the craniotomy hole. Puppe's rule has never been refuted, but these cases are the closest to an exception ever seen in forensic anthropology.

Identifiants

pubmed: 35212803
doi: 10.1007/s00414-022-02804-2
pii: 10.1007/s00414-022-02804-2
doi:

Types de publication

Journal Article

Langues

eng

Sous-ensembles de citation

IM

Pagination

1177-1180

Informations de copyright

© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.

Références

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Auteurs

Alberto Amadasi (A)

LABANOF, Laboratorio Di Antropologia E Odontologia Forense, Sezione Di Medicina Legale, Dipartimento Di Scienze Biomediche Per La Salute, Università Di Milano, Milan, Italy. albertoamadasi@libero.it.
Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Institute of Legal Medicine and Forensic Sciences, Humboldt-Universität Zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany. albertoamadasi@libero.it.

Lorenzo Franceschetti (L)

LABANOF, Laboratorio Di Antropologia E Odontologia Forense, Sezione Di Medicina Legale, Dipartimento Di Scienze Biomediche Per La Salute, Università Di Milano, Milan, Italy.
Forensic Medicine Unit, Department of Medical and Surgical Specialties, Radiological Sciences and Public Health, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy.

Francesca Magli (F)

LABANOF, Laboratorio Di Antropologia E Odontologia Forense, Sezione Di Medicina Legale, Dipartimento Di Scienze Biomediche Per La Salute, Università Di Milano, Milan, Italy.

Annalisa Cappella (A)

U.O Laboratorio Di Morfologia Umana Applicata, IRCCS Policlinico San Donato, San Donato Milanese, Milan, Italy.
Dipartimento Di Scienze Biomediche Per La Salute, Università Degli Studi Di Milano, Milan, Italy.

Enrico Angelo Muccino (EA)

LABANOF, Laboratorio Di Antropologia E Odontologia Forense, Sezione Di Medicina Legale, Dipartimento Di Scienze Biomediche Per La Salute, Università Di Milano, Milan, Italy.

Katiuscia Bisogni (K)

, Vibo Valentia, Italy.

Debora Mazzarelli (D)

LABANOF, Laboratorio Di Antropologia E Odontologia Forense, Sezione Di Medicina Legale, Dipartimento Di Scienze Biomediche Per La Salute, Università Di Milano, Milan, Italy.

Cristina Cattaneo (C)

LABANOF, Laboratorio Di Antropologia E Odontologia Forense, Sezione Di Medicina Legale, Dipartimento Di Scienze Biomediche Per La Salute, Università Di Milano, Milan, Italy.

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