What is Heat rupture?

1. Severe burns & charring - skin contracts and heat ruptures occur, either before or after death.
2. Produced by splitting of soft parts
3. Splits maybe anywhere in the body but usually present in the fleshy parts such as calve, thigh and extensor surface, joints and on the head.
4.  Splits of abdominal walls occur parallel to the muscle fibers.
5. Splits maybe several centimeters length, when superficial resembles like lacerations or incised wounds


They can be differentiated by
1. Absence of bleeding in the wound and surrounding area as the heat  coagulates   the blood in the vessels
2. Intact vessels and nerves are seen on the floor.
3. Irregular margins.
4. Absence of bruising or other signs of vital reaction.
5. When skin is completely burnt, underlying muscle may rupture due to heat
6. When an attempt to  remove the body from the burnt house is done the skin may easily be cracked.
7. These tears are commonly seen  around joints like elbow, shoulder, knees.