Burned Femur

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The specimen is a highly calcined portion of a distal right femur, usually indicative of prolonged burning at a high temperature. There is significant loss of cortical bone tissue through the process of delamination, not only exposing the trabecular bone, but also allowing trabecular bone to be burned away. At the posterior aspect of the knee, there are some curved transverse fractures. This region would have been somewhat protected during the initial burning process due to the contraction of the hamstring and gastrocnemeus muscles of the posterior right leg, flexing the knee. Much of the femur demonstrates a ‘patina’ type of burn fracture pattern.Authors: Jake F McCallum - Vancouver Fraser Medical Program, Univeristy of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada Aaron M Baker - Island Medical Program, University of British Columbia, VIctoria, BC, Canada Contributor: Kurt McBurney - Associate Teaching Professor Division of Medical Sciences, University of VIctoria, Victoria, BC, Canada