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Application of P/VB staining to identify antemortem injury in a decomposed cadaver
Tianying Sun1, Meichen Pan1, Weiwei Zhu1
1Department of Forensic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, No. 13 Hangkong Road, Wuhan, 430030, People's Republic of China.
Abstract:
It is challenging in forensic pathology to determine whether an injury is formed antemortem or postmortem in putrefied tissues. Hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining fails to work in highly decomposed corpses. Ponceau/Victoria blue B (P/VB) staining is usually used to show collagen fibers and muscles. Here, we used P/VB to show antemortem laceration injury on the scalp in a severely decomposed cadaver 1.5 years after death. This method is a simple and alternative method for the diagnosis of antemortem injury.
