Title 

Fatal Tracheal Perforation in Self-Inflicted Stab Injury to Neck with a Pair of Scissors.

Authors 

Gerard Pradeep Devnath, Kirthika Ravi, Ajoy Kumar Ghosh.

Abstract 

Background: Self-inflicted sharp force injuries to neck are cut throat and stab wounds. Stab wounds to neck are relatively uncommon than cut throat in suicide. Sharp objects such as knives, razor blades, screw drivers and cutters are commonly used to selfinflict injuries over neck. The preferred site for self-inflicted stab are chest, neck and abdomen. Vascular and aero-digestive tract injuries are common in stab injury neck. The spectrum of injuries depend the handedness of the person, type of weapon, force and the relative position of the weapon to the person. Case Presentation: We report a case of self-inflicted stab injury over the neck with a pair of scissors by a young male under the influence of alcohol. The injury was single in nature and no tentative cuts were present. Conclusion: Self-inflicted stab injury to the neck with a pair of scissors is uncommon. Combination of thyroid, trachea and jugular vein injuries in self-inflicted stab injury with scissors are rare in forensic literature. Meticulous dissection is to be carried out to assess the tract of the injury to correlated with the weapon used.

 Keywords

Suicide, Stab Injury, Neck, Scissors, Trachea perforation, Subcutaneous emphysema.

 DOI