Background on Gunshot wounds

Gunshot wounds can be either penetrating or perforating. In a penetrating wound, the bullet enters an object and remains inside, while in a perforating wound, the bullet passes completely through the object. In some cases, the wound can be both penetrating and perforating, in that it penetrates some part of the body, such as the head, but perforates certain parts, such as the skull or brain.

In a perforating wound, the bullet creates an exit wound as it escapes the body. An exit wound differs greatly from an entrance wound. An entrance wound is surrounded by a reddish-brown area of abraded skin, known as the abrasion ring, and small amounts of blood escape through. An exit wound, on the other hand, is larger and more irregular, with extruding tissue and no abrasion ring. There is far more blood that escapes an exit wound, and it can possibly be profuse.

After the bullet enters through the skin, the skin retracts due to its elasticity. This will make the wound appear smaller than the bullet that has passed through. The bullet usually travels in a straight line, but its direction is unpredictable if it hits a bone. When this occurs, the bone may be shattered or the bullet may deflect and be sent to another area of the body.