Microcracking pattern in fractured bones: new approach for distinguishing between peri- and postmortem fractures

Winter-Buchwalder, Michelle; Schwab, Nathalie; Galtés, Ignasi; Ortega-Sánchez, Marisa; Scheirs, Sarah; Jordana, Xavier

doi:10.1007/s00414-022-02875-1

Cited by 4 publications

(22 citation statements)

References 29 publications

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“…In this study, a total of 10 fresh human humeri were experimentally fractured. We also considered the microcracking patterns of 10 fractured humeri that had already been analyzed and compared in our previous study [ 9 ]. All 20 fractured bones resulted from blunt force trauma and revealed a butterfly fracture of the humeral shaft.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…All 20 fractured bones resulted from blunt force trauma and revealed a butterfly fracture of the humeral shaft. The specimens, i.e., five of each, were assigned to four sample groups: (a) experimentally produced fractures in fresh humeri with the application of axial bone loading during the experiment (FHC), (b) experimentally produced fractures in fresh humeri without the application of axial loading (FHNC), (c) humeral fractures from real traumatic autopsy cases (AH) [ 8 ] and (d) experimentally produced fractures in dry humeri (DH) [ 9 ]. Hereby, the microcracking pattern of the autopsy cases was considered as a reference for vital trauma and the dry bone fractures as a reference for postmortem trauma.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In a recent paper, we presented an innovative histological approach to distinguish between peri- and postmortem long bone trauma [ 9 ]. In that research, the microcracking pattern of blunt force trauma was compared in two different sample groups: fresh fractured humeri from real traumatic autopsy cases (perimortem trauma) and experimentally fractured dry human humeri (postmortem trauma).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In particular, we aim to explore the meaning of osteonal MCKs. In the above mentioned study by Winter-Buchwalder [ 9 ], fresh humeri from autopsy cases were analyzed. However, it remained unclear whether osteonal MCKs are only a potential marker for fresh (perimortem) bone trauma or even more specific for vital perimortem trauma.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Thus, to test our hypothesis, we microscopically analyzed the microcracking pattern in experimental blunt force trauma in human humeri with and without axial loading. Then, the microcracking patterns were compared with the results from our previous study using fractured humeri from traumatic autopsy cases and experimental fractures of dry humeri [ 9 ]. Being able to characterize the MCK patterns may allow us to optimize the distinction between perimortem and post-mortem trauma, and most notably, between vital and non-vital perimortem trauma.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Osteonal Microcracking Pattern: A Potential Vitality Marker in Human Bone Trauma

Schwab

Galtés

Winter-Buchwalder

et al. 2023

Biology

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In forensic anthropology, the differential diagnosis between peri- and postmortem bone fractures is mainly based on macroscopic criteria. In contrast, studies focusing on bone histology are very scarce. In a recent publication, we showed that (perimortem) fractures in fresh human bones exhibit a different osteonal microcracking pattern than (postmortem) damage in dry bones. In the current work, we explored whether this osteonal microcracking pattern is distinctive of the vitality of (perimortem) fresh bone fractures. To this end, we compared the number, length and structural distribution of microcracks in vital humeral fractures from forensic autopsy cases with experimentally reproduced, three point-bending fractures in fresh and dry human humeri. Half of the fresh experimental bones were fractured whilst applying axial compression, i.e., attempting to simulate intra vitam conditions more accurately. The results showed a similar osteonal microcracking pattern between vital fractures and experimental fractures of fresh humeri subjected to axial compression. Interestingly, this pattern was significantly different from the one observed in the experimental fractures of fresh humeri without axial compression and dry humeri. This supports our hypothesis that the osteonal microcracking pattern can potentially be used as a marker for vital perimortem trauma, providing a histomorphometric tool for fracture timing.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 3 more Smart Citations

Osteonal Microcracking Pattern: A Potential Vitality Marker in Human Bone Trauma

Schwab

Galtés

Winter-Buchwalder

et al. 2023

Biology

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Ante- and Post-Mortem Fracture Identification Protocol Based on Low- and High-Level Fusion Using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy and Raman Spectroscopy Association

Yu,

Wu,

Xiong

et al. 2024

Appl Spectrosc

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In this study, the application of low-level fusion (LLF) and high-level fusion (HLF) strategies using a combination of Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and Raman spectroscopy in the identification of antemortem and postmortem fracture at different postmortem intervals (PMIs) was investigated. On a technical level, the same hard tissue sample can be detected using a mix of FT-IR and Raman techniques. At the method level, two cutting-edge chemometrics approaches (LLF and HLF) combining FT-IR and Raman spectroscopic data are explored. The models were ranked in accordance with their parametric quality as follows: HLF and LLF + HLF models > LLF single model > Raman single model > FT-IR single model. The LLF model performed marginally better than the Raman model, however, when compared to other models, the HLF model performed considerably better. The HLF model achieved the best performance, with both cross-validation accuracy and test data set accuracy of 0.88. The importance of the feature wavelengths in the model construction process was subsequently evaluated by intersection fusion, and it was found that the absorbance bands of amide I, PO43– ν1 ν3, and CH2 in FT-IR and phenylalanine, CO32– ν1– PO43– ν3, and amide III in Raman have outstanding contributions to the construction of antemortem and postmortem fractures identification models. Overall, the combination of FT-IR and Raman with the HLF strategy is a novel and promising approach for developing antemortem and postmortem fracture identification models at different PMIs.

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Osteonal Damage Pattern from Ballistic and Blunt Force Trauma in Human Long Bones

Sexton,

Schwab,

Galtés

et al. 2024

Preprint

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Forensic anthropologists play a key role in skeletal trauma analysis and commonly use macroscopic features to distinguish between trauma types. However, this approach can be challenging, particularly in cases of highly comminuted or incompletely recovered fractures. Histological analysis of microscopic fracture characteristics in fractured bones may thus help provide additional information on trauma type and bone fracture biomechanics in general. This study analysed the extent of microcrack damage to osteons in long bones with blunt force trauma (BFT) and gunshot trauma (GST), from both traumatic death cases and post-mortem experimental fractures. We identified four types of osteonal damage (OD). In traumatic death cases, OD affecting the inside of the osteon and compromising the Haversian canal (type 1) was found to be indicative of BFT. Moreover, OD affecting the cement line (type 3) and interstitial lamellae (type 4) was more common in the GST samples. OD affecting the inside of the osteon without compromising the Haversian canal (type 2) was not found to be indicative of either trauma type. In cases of experimental fractures, our study revealed that post-mortem fractures in dry bone samples featured the highest amount of OD, particularly of type 4. This study also found that the experimentally produced GST featured similar OD pattern to GST death cases. These findings support our hypothesis that there are distinct osteonal damage patterns in human long bones with BFT and GST, which are of relevant value for trauma analysis in forensic anthropology.

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Microcracking pattern in fractured bones: new approach for distinguishing between peri- and postmortem fractures

Cited by 4 publications

References 29 publications

Osteonal Microcracking Pattern: A Potential Vitality Marker in Human Bone Trauma

Osteonal Microcracking Pattern: A Potential Vitality Marker in Human Bone Trauma

Ante- and Post-Mortem Fracture Identification Protocol Based on Low- and High-Level Fusion Using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy and Raman Spectroscopy Association

Osteonal Damage Pattern from Ballistic and Blunt Force Trauma in Human Long Bones

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