[Current view on stab/cut injuries]

Currently, mechanical trauma is the most significant cause of violent death. The injuries caused by sharp objects rank high in the structure of mechanical trauma. The study objective is to review domestic and foreign literature on the study of stab/cut injuries, identify the main issues and consider new promising diagnostic methods. The stab/cut wound morphology is widely described in the available literature, but little attention has been paid to their study of late postmortem changes. This issue requires consideration since putrefactive corpses (hidden by placing the corpse in water, burying it in the ground, etc.) are often the object of forensic medical examination. New methods for assessing stab/cut injuries are also considered: computed tomography, multilayer computed tomography, scanning electron microscopy, and energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy. Each of the diagnostic methods has its undeniable advantages and prospects for widespread use in expert practice, but they cannot completely replace the main methods and are intended only to supplement them.