Burned Femur

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The specimen is a highly calcined portion of a distal right femur, typically indicating prolonged burning at an extremely high temperature. There is considerable loss of cortical bone tissue through delamination, not only exposing the trabecular bone but also allowing it to be burned away. At the posterior aspect of the knee, there are some curved transverse fractures present. This region would have been somewhat protected during the initial burning process due to the contraction of the hamstring and gastrocnemius muscles of the posterior right leg, flexing the knee. A significant portion of the femur demonstrates a 'patina' type of burn fracture pattern. Authors: Jake F McCallum - Vancouver Fraser Medical Program, University 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