Russian Journal of Forensic Medicine

Background: Authors of this article have made a comparative identificational description of artificial leather damage caused by air gun pistol pellets with different head end forms. Aim: This study aimed to provide a comparative identification characteristic of injuries caused by shots from an air pistol MP-53 M on artificial leather with a raised surface and a textile net glued to the wrong side at different angles and from different distances by bullets with different head end shapes (hemispherical, flat round, and conical). Used: Air pistol MP-53M, bullets with different head end shape, a fragment of black artificial leather with an embossed surface, and a textile mesh glued to the wrong side. Shots were fired at close range, 50 and 100 cm at angles of 30°, 45°, 60°, and 90°. The prevailing forms of damage (defects) of artificial skin, characteristic of bullets with a hemispherical, conical, and flat rounded head end, dependence of the form of damage (defect) on the distance of the shot, and the angle of entry of the bullet into the material. Conclusion: A comparative study showed that the form of damage to the material depends on the head end shape of bullets. Moreover, intragroup differences were found in the damage due to the distance of the shot and angle of entry of the bullet into the material in groups of bullets with the same head end shape.

Background: In the case of sudden or violent death, occurring in the rehabilitation period after a previously performed coronary bypass surgery, a forensic medical examination is usually prescribed. In recent years, the number of such forensic examinations has increased. At the same time, problems were revealed related to the lack of guidelines for the study of coronary shunts and recommendations on the structure of forensic diagnosis. Aims: This study aimed to summarize significant differences and features of coronary shunt research methods and give examples of diagnosis in cases of forensic examinations of corpses of patients who underwent coronary bypass surgery. Conclusions (acts) of forensic medical examinations (studies) of corpses performed at the bureau of forensic medical examination of the city of Moscow for the five-year period in 2012–2016 were studied. Cases of forensic examinations in patients who had previously undergone coronary bypass surgery were identified, original technical methods for sectional study of postoperative shunts are summarized, and options for constructing and substantiating sectional diagnoses were developed. In the analysis of 135, 446 conclusions (acts), 56 cases of forensic examinations of corpses of persons with signs of previously performed coronary bypass surgery were selected. Distinctive features of original methods for the study of shunts, tasks resolved during the study of native and prosthetic heart vessels, and examples of the design of forensic protocols are described. Examples of construction and substantiation of forensic diagnoses are also provided. Conclusion: This study revealed original technical methods for the study of coronary shunts during the concealment of corpses and examples of protocols of identified changes, and options for the formulation of forensic medical diagnoses in cases of forensic examinations of corpses of persons with a previously performed coronary bypass surgery are given.

Background: The terminology used in the production of forensic medical examinations should be interpreted unambiguously by forensic medical experts, employees of investigative bodies, and doctors of other specialties and be the basis for their mutual understanding. The examination of clothing and shoes, as well as their damage, is an important part of the expert’s work. However, in the presence of forensic and forensic literature on this issue, currently increasing lack of educational and methodological publications covering modern terminological definitions is observed. During the production of forensic medical examinations of material evidence, the expert often comes across trace-forming objects (or parts of them), which is found difficult to name or describe without prejudice to an unambiguous interpretation. Attention is drawn to the fact that names of the scissors’ areas are ignored in the practice of forensic medicine. Even with the well-established concept of “scissors branch” in expert practice, different points of view are made. Aims: This study aimed to identify terminology that defines standards that ensure mutual understanding between specialists in different fields and consolidate unambiguous terms and definitions at the level of knowledge and concepts of modern science. As a result of the conducted research, authors come to the conclusion that in order to reduce the risk of different understanding of terms (including nonmedical ones), it is necessary to refer to the State Standards of the Russian Federation (GOST). As an example, this article presents the terms of the current State Standard 51268-9, wherein the main trace-forming elements of scissors are not branches but knives, and the concept of “branches” does not contain this GOST. Conclusion: Standardization and bringing forensic medical terms to the corresponding GOST standards in the production of forensic medical examinations will not only increase their quality and informativeness for investigative authorities, but also eliminate discrepancies in terminology between law enforcement officers, forensic medical experts, and doctors of other specialties.

Introduction: In recent years, endodontic dental treatment associated with periodontal inflammation in the provision of emergency and planned dental care is not provided with the appropriate standard and quality. Clinical case: Clinical observation is done to a patient suffering from exacerbation of chronic periodontitis, who underwent restoration of 2.6 teeth with light-cured filling material 15 years ago, and intraroot pins of which are made of materials that are not approved for medical practice use. Conclusion: The use of inappropriate material in medical practice for tooth restoration gives the patient the right to seek for material and moral compensation for bodily harm.

Introduction. This article focuses to the issue of detecting elements of firearm shells in the remains of a corpse during its criminal burning. Clinical case. An example from an expert practice is given, and method of sorting burned remains using fractional separation by fractional sieving in combination with traditional and modern forensic investigations was used. Conclusion. The case under consideration demonstrates the possibility of using a simple nondestructive method for examining cremated objects as an alternative to perform modern X-ray spectral methods, which aim to further assign forensic research in the production of forensic medical examination. Such an integrated approach significantly increases the possibilities of identifying the weapon of injury in case of a gunshot injury in cases of criminal burning of the body and submission for examination of cremated remains, allowing experts to draw well-grounded conclusions that play a significant (decisive) role.

This article is dedicated to the memory of the Head of the Department of Forensic Medicine of the Leningrad State Institute for the improvement of doctors named after S.M. Kirov O.H. Porksheyan. This article provides information about the life and activities of an outstanding scientist. The scientific contribution of the scientist to the development of forensic medicine was analyzed, and his pedagogical activity was reflected.