The interdisciplinary cooperation of forensic medicine, clinical medicine and palaeozoology: a case of cave bear (Ursus speloeus) bones.

Three pathologically modified bones (cranium, left mandible, iliac bone) of a cave bears (Ursus spelaeus) were found in the Last Glacial deposits (OIS 3) in the caves of the Vel'ká Fatra carst, Slovak republic. Despite of thorough paleontological examination, the bear bones were examined by experts in forensic medicine, traumatology and stomatology, too. The pathological changes were found in the tooth bed on the right side of the maxilla at the place of M1, being interpreted as a result of odontogenic purulent inflammation of soft tissues of tooth bed and surrounding bone. The iliac bone has an abnormally formed acetabulum with damaged and deformed osseous upper border, which could be a result of immoderate pressure of the head of femur, following with the mineral dysbalance (decalcification) or fracture of limbus acetobuli caused by injury. The mutual cooperation of all the abovementioned experts was declared as a very fruitful.