Injury potential of one-litre beer steins

Abstract

Injuries resulting from blows with beer steins are a frequent occurrence during annual autumn fairs or at beer halls in South Germany and Austria. The majority of these cases are tried in court and thus being assessed by a forensic medicine expert. The article at hand gives a short overview on the injury potential of one-litre beer steins and explains the key variables to consider when analyzing beer stein injuries. On the basis of representative cases, which were assessed by specialists from the Institute of Legal Medicine of the Munich University over the last 5 years, the main biomechanical aspects and resulting injuries of one-litre beer stein assaults are discussed. Several severe and potentially life-threatening injuries have been observed after an assault with a one-litre beer stein. There is a discrepancy between the mechanical stability of brand new and used steins and the corresponding injuries, which can be explained by a decrease in impact tolerance of the steins with their use. In general, a blow with a one-litre glass or stonework beer stein to the head can cause severe and even life-threatening blunt as well as sharp trauma injuries.

Beer stein blast to the head a rare case of combined blunt and sharp force trauma

“…The levels of impact force calculated for rigid bodies then have to be to put into relation with biomechanical loading thresholds of the stressed tissue (typically the bone of the skull vault). However, due to several unknown influencing factors, the physical components of such action as well as the biophysiological aspects can vary within a rather wide spectrum [ 8 , 11 ]. In addition, the weight and mechanical stability of the steins are important factors when evaluating such events [ 14 , 15 ].…”

“…The mechanical properties of the used beer stein, especially its state of use as well as the exact kinematics of its movement before impact are mostly not known. Therefore, laboratory tests performed in a way and manner, which are as close to a real incident as possible, are used as a database to support a reconstruction of events, based on comparative analytical analyses [ 8 – 11 , 14 , 15 ].…”

“…The patient at hand suffered from a rather small, but clearly identifiable, approximately 2-mm deep impression fracture of the skullcap. By means of a comparison with available literature, it appears likely that a force of at least 4-5kN affected the skull [ 11 ]. Taken into account the possibility of lower demolition thresholds of used beer steins [ 11 , 15 ] and possible low individual biomechanical tolerance of the victim, an insignificantly lower force is possible.…”

“…By means of a comparison with available literature, it appears likely that a force of at least 4-5kN affected the skull [ 11 ]. Taken into account the possibility of lower demolition thresholds of used beer steins [ 11 , 15 ] and possible low individual biomechanical tolerance of the victim, an insignificantly lower force is possible. In order to reach such level of applied force, it can be assumed that the beer stein was hit with high intensity.…”

“…In order to reach such level of applied force, it can be assumed that the beer stein was hit with high intensity. The impact velocity may be expected in the range of 8–13 m/s [ 11 ].…”