Histological Characteristics of Bruises with Different Age

In forensics bruises as injuries take an important part in the interpretation of the causes of death. Since activating the inflammatory response of the body in their formation, histological analysis of the bruised tissue can provide data on the determination the time when the injury occurred.

The aim of this study is to compare the histological features of 1-day and 5-days old bruises.

Bruised human skin samples, 1-day old in group A and 5-day-old in group B, obtained at autopsy from individuals who died from a violent death, were analyzed in this study. The qualitative microscopic analysis was performed on serial paraffin sections of tissues stained with Hematoxylin-eosin and Pearls Prussian Blue method, using a light microscope connected to a digital camera.

Qualitative histological analysis of the studied group A presented with fresh bruises, less than 24 hours old, showed ruptured smaller vessels and extravasated red blood cells in the connective tissue of the skin, with subsequent expansion and infiltration of fibrous septa of the skin. In the area of bleeding an initial infiltration by macrophages was observed. In the studied group B, presented with bruises 3-7 days old, histological analysis showed a marked presence of hemosiderin-laden macrophages and presence of hematoidin granules in the area of bleeding, as well as ruptured small blood vessels and red blood cells extravasation in the dilated fibrous septa.

A detailed analysis of tissue changes in bruises every day from the initiation until their recovery, a detailed description of the histological finding can be given, which will be supported in the precise determination of the age of the injuries themselves.