Shored Exit Wound
Definition
An exit wound in which the exiting skin is braced against a hard surface at the moment of exit, preventing eversion and producing an abrasion rim that mimics an entry wound's abrasion collar. The most common mechanism for entry/exit wound misclassification in forensic casework. Diagnosis requires correlation with scene and positional evidence.
- Most common source of misclassification
- Entry vs. exit wound confusion in forensic pathology
- Key diagnostic feature
- Abrasion rim that mimics an entry wound's abrasion collar
- Required for accurate diagnosis
- Correlation with scene evidence and victim positioning
Common questions
How does a shored exit wound differ from a typical exit wound?+
A typical exit wound shows eversion, where the skin edges turn outward. A shored exit wound occurs when the skin is pressed against a hard surface at the moment of bullet exit, preventing this eversion. This creates an abrasion rim that can look deceptively like an entry wound's abrasion collar.
Why are shored exit wounds commonly misclassified?+
Because the abrasion rim produced by shoring mimics an entry wound's abrasion collar, shored exit wounds are frequently mistaken for entry wounds. This is the most common mechanism for entry and exit wound misclassification in forensic casework. Accurate diagnosis requires careful correlation with scene evidence and the victim's positional evidence at the time of injury.
What causes a shored exit wound to form?+
Shoring happens when the area where the bullet exits is braced or pressed against a hard surface, furniture, clothing, or another object at the exact moment of exit. The surface prevents the skin from turning outward as it normally would, creating the characteristic appearance that can fool initial assessment.
Related terms
- Abrasion Collar
- The rim of abraded, dried skin surrounding a gunshot entry wound, produced by the bullet stretching the skin inward before perforation. Width...
- Blow-Out Exit Wound
- A large, ragged exit wound with radiating lacerations produced when the bullet retains high residual kinetic energy at exit and the skin...
- Grease Ring
- A grey-to-black discolouration at the outer margin of the entry wound's abrasion collar, caused by lubricant and metal fouling on the bullet...
- Contact Stellate Wound
- Entry wound morphology at hard-contact muzzle-to-skin distance over bone: central perforation with radiating linear lacerations caused by discharge gas expanding laterally beneath...
- Muzzle Imprint
- A patterned contusion or abrasion left on skin by the muzzle face of the weapon in hard-contact wounds. In revolvers, the cylinder-face...
- Permanent Cavity
- The lasting wound channel produced by the bullet's direct crushing and laceration of tissue. Diameter approximates expanded projectile diameter. At handgun velocities,...
- Secondary Missile
- A bone fragment or other dense internal body component that is driven by bullet impact to become a projectile in its own...
- Stippling (Tattooing)
- Discrete punctate abrasions or haemorrhages around an entry wound from individual unburned propellant granules embedding in the epidermis at intermediate range. Unlike...
- Temporary Cavity
- The transient radial tissue displacement produced by a bullet's passing. Caused by the transfer of kinetic energy to surrounding tissue via compression...
Explained in these topics
- Firearm Entry and Exit Wounds: The Medico-Legal ReadingAn exit wound in which the exiting skin is braced against a hard surface at the moment of exit, preventing eversion and producing an abrasion rim that mimics a...
- Wound Ballistics: Entry Wounds, Exit Wounds and CavitationAn exit wound in which the exiting skin is pressed against a hard surface at the moment of bullet exit, preventing eversion and producing an abrasion rim that...