Advances in forensic diagnosis of electric shock death in the absence of typical electrical marks

Portable x‐ray fluorescence as a tool for assessing electric marks in forensic evaluation

“…Electrical injuries are a relatively rare but potentially devastating form of multisystem injury with high morbidity and mortality. 1 Electrocution occurs when an electric current passes through biological tissue: the damaging effects can result from both the heating due to the Joule effect of current passage and the direct action of the electric force on the charged or electrically polarized components of the tissue itself. 2 These damaged areas, known as electric marks, are usually circular or oval, dull yellow, hard and dry, and characterized by a palisade-like appearance of the epidermal cell nuclei; that means that these nuclei stretch and narrow to be arranged in the direction of electric current.…”

“…3 Evidence of electric marks plays a critical role in forensic evaluation, and the diagnosis of death by electrocution is based primarily on their morphological features in addition to field examination, case history, and histopathology. 1,4 It is worth noting that only approximately one-third of electric shock death cases have a typical electric mark, 5 which complicates the forensic diagnosis. In addition, autopsy examination of an electrocution victim often fails to reveal specific signs of the cause of death.…”

“…Electrical injuries are a relatively rare but potentially devastating form of multisystem injury with high morbidity and mortality 1 . Electrocution occurs when an electric current passes through biological tissue: the damaging effects can result from both the heating due to the Joule effect of current passage and the direct action of the electric force on the charged or electrically polarized components of the tissue itself 2 .…”

“…These damaged areas, known as electric marks, are usually circular or oval, dull yellow, hard and dry, and characterized by a palisade‐like appearance of the epidermal cell nuclei; that means that these nuclei stretch and narrow to be arranged in the direction of electric current 3 . Evidence of electric marks plays a critical role in forensic evaluation, and the diagnosis of death by electrocution is based primarily on their morphological features in addition to field examination, case history, and histopathology 1,4 . It is worth noting that only approximately one‐third of electric shock death cases have a typical electric mark, 5 which complicates the forensic diagnosis.…”

Electric burn of the skull: treatment by applying trepanations and wound dressing. Illustrative case

“…The collective impact of these factors often requires a considerable number of surgical interventions, giving rise to associated complications. 2 , 7 , 8 , 10 …”