Germany. Self-inflicted gunshot to the forehead with a shotgun. The scalp is torn open in several long stretches; the actual bullet defect cannot be identified. The bony skull is largely dismantled, and large parts of the brain are no longer inside the skull. There are short, separate skin tears on both sides of the nose.
Fig.1 Self-inflicted gunshot wound to the forehead with a shotgun
Centerfire rifles, whether military or hunting, frequently cause a strong ‘explosive’ effect with comminution of bones and laceration of brain tissue up to a so-called Kröhnlein shot (exenteratio cranii). Shotgun injuries differ substantially depending on the range of fire. Close-range shots have a tremendous effect similar to centerfire rifles by literally riddling brain tissue and blasting the skull. The high internal cranial pressure often leads to long skin tears, also detached from the bullet opening, as well as extensive bone fracture systems and brain tissue destruction.
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