Two peculiar cases of cranial fractures running through craniotomy burr holes: may this be a kind of "exception" to the Puppe rule.

A correct assessment on the position, path, and direction of fracture lines is crucial when the sequence of different injuries on the skull has to be ascertained. In this context, the so-called Puppe's rule on intersecting fracture lines has always been considered a cornerstone of such an investigation. However, there is one factor that has never been previously considered: how do fracture lines behave when they reach the edges of an old and remodeled hole from a previous craniotomy? Two peculiar cases are presented of subjects undergoing cranial fractures due to blunt force trauma (case 1) and gunshot (case 2).

Sexual assault and abuse committed against family members: An analysis of 1342 legal outcomes and their motivations.

Background: Over the past years medical centres specifically addressed in gender-based violence have developed protocols for the collections of evidence useful in the courtroom, including accurate documentation of physical and psychological states of the victim and collection of samples. Previous studies showed an association between documented physical trauma and conviction but unfortunately, few studies in the recent literature analysed the factors that influence the legal outcome and final judgement. The present study focused on the elements that appeared of significance in the legal outcome, including medico-legal evaluation, source of the crime report and circumstance of the assault.