MORPHOHISTOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF BRUISES WITH DIFFERENT AGE-QUANTITATIVE STUDY

Abstract

Bruises as common skin lesions are important in forensic expert reports in determining the time of death in many cases of domestic violence or child abuse. The aim of this study was to present the differences between bruises with different time of origin by evaluation of their histological characteristics.The study included 60 human skin samples divided into control andexperimental groups A, B, C, D. Group A included skin samples with < 1day old bruises, group B included skin samples with 1-3 days old bruises, group C included skin samples with 3-7 days old bruises, and group D included skin samples with 7-14 days old bruises. Paraffin sections of the skin stained with Hematoxylin-eosin, Giemsa, Perl’s Prussian Blue and Masson-Goldner methods were evaluated by light microscopy and photodocumented,using stereological method for cell count and photodocumented.Histologicalanalysis in group A showed presence of dilated fibrous septa in dermis and hypodermis with extravasated erythrocytes and intense infiltration with neutrophils. In group B there was initial infiltration by macrophages. Group C also showed presence of macrophages, but itwas significantly more expressed than in group B (p<0.001). Group D showed a significant presence of macrophages when compared to groups B and C (p<0.001).Infiltration with neutrophils occurred shortly after the initiation of the bruise, while after few days of initiation, usually 1-3, there was macrophage infiltration. Presence of macrophages significantly increased as bruises age. These histological characteristics speak in favor of healing the bruises.