Arborescent marks' or 'filigree burns' are seen in
Ans. d (Lightening) (Ref. Forensic Medicine Reddy, 17th/ Page 261; Forensic Medicine 1st /Apurva Nandy, 286)# Filigree burns are seen in lightening# Crocodile Flash Burns and "arc eye" are seen in Electrical Injuries# Joule Burn is seen in Electrical Injuries# Spark Burns are seen in Electrical InjuriesLIGHTENING# Mode- Direct Strike- Side Flash - Hits another object and then enters the subject- Conduction through another object# Burns may be- Linear# 3 to 30 cm in length, 0.3 to 2.5 cm in width# Often in moist creased and skin folds- Arborescent or Filigree or Lichtenberg's flowers# Superficial, Thin, Irregular and Tortuous# Fern like pattern# Resembles a tree- Surface burns# True bums which occur beneath metallic objects worn or carried by the person# Cause of Death- Cerebral "Anaemia"# Due to spasmodic contraction of cerebral vesselsEducational Points# Filigree bums usually imply that the effect is superficial and are more often seen in cases where the victims have "escaped". They are seen in shoulders and flanks and pass away in due course of time.# They do not follow the path of blood vessels.# They may be due to:- Copper deposits in Dermis- Deposits of Hemoglobin from RBCs lysed by the current
Radiation
Electrical burns
Chemical burns
Lightening
Injuries