Which statement about incisions and stab wounds is false?

• A. Incisions are longer on the surface than deep.
• B. Stab wounds are deeper than surface length.
• C. Incisions frequently produce stellate patterns.
• D. Stab wounds thickness cannot be approximated.

Answer: (C)

The main idea is how wound shapes differentiate incisions from stab wounds. Incisions are clean, elongated cuts made by a sharp blade, so the opening on the surface tends to be longer than the depth, with smooth, straight edges. Stab wounds come from a pointed instrument and often have a deeper penetration than the surface opening, so the depth exceeds what you see on the surface. A stellate pattern—radiating tears around the opening—is characteristic of certain stab wounds when the blade tears tissue as it is inserted or moved, not of clean incisions.

Therefore, the statement that incisions frequently produce stellate patterns is false because incisions are typically linear and smooth, not star-shaped. The other two points align with the usual morphology: incisions are longer on the surface than deep, and stab wounds are deeper than the surface length.