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Open Access 03-04-2024 | Silicone | Original Article

Skin simulants for wound ballistic investigation – an experimental study

Authors: Victoria K. S. Fischer, Markus A. Rothschild, Beat P. Kneubuehl, Thomas Kamphausen

Published in: International Journal of Legal Medicine

Abstract

Gunshot wound analysis is an important part of medicolegal practice, in both autopsies and examinations of living persons. Well-established and studied simulants exist that exhibit both physical and biomechanical properties of soft-tissues and bones. Current research literature on ballistic wounds focuses on the biomechanical properties of skin simulants. In our extensive experimental study, we tested numerous synthetic and natural materials, regarding their macromorphological bullet impact characteristics, and compared these data with those from real bullet injuries gathered from medicolegal practice. Over thirty varieties of potential skin simulants were shot perpendicularly, and at 45°, at a distance of 10 m and 0.3 m, using full metal jacket (FMJ) projectiles (9 × 19 mm Luger). Simulants included ballistic gelatine at various concentrations, dental silicones with several degrees of hardness, alginates, latex, chamois leather, suture trainers for medical training purposes and various material compound models. In addition to complying to the general requirements for a synthetic simulant, results obtained from dental silicones shore hardness 70 (backed with 20 % by mass gelatine), were especially highly comparable to gunshot entry wounds in skin from real cases. Based on these results, particularly focusing on the macroscopically detectable criteria, we can strongly recommend dental silicone shore hardness 70 as a skin simulant for wound ballistics examinations.

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Title: Skin simulants for wound ballistic investigation – an experimental study
Authors: Victoria K. S. Fischer
Markus A. Rothschild
Beat P. Kneubuehl
Thomas Kamphausen
Publication date: 03-04-2024
Publisher: Springer Berlin Heidelberg
Keyword: Silicone
Published in: International Journal of Legal Medicine
Print ISSN: 0937-9827
Electronic ISSN: 1437-1596
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00414-024-03223-1

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Springer Medicine

Skin simulants for wound ballistic investigation – an experimental study

Abstract

Keynote webinar | Spotlight on medication adherence

Springer Medicine

Abstract

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