An unusual case of attempted suicide by a depressive woman: Self-inflicted intracranial stabbing

Abstract Self-inflicted stab injury to the skull, particularly in the neurocranium, is a rare method used to commit suicide. Herein is presented a case of a 26-year old woman with a temporal wound found by her partner in their home. No weapon was found in the approximate environment and the victim s...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Forensic science international 2013-03, Vol.226 (1), p.e9-e11
Main Authors: Benali, L, Abalan, F, Christin, E, Abriat, F, Liguoro, D, Gromb, S
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
Aggression
Approximation
Bipolar Disorder - diagnosis
Cavernous Sinus - diagnostic imaging
Cavernous Sinus - injuries
Computer aided tomography
Conflicts of interest
Criminal investigations
Cutlery
Depression
Depression - psychology
Emergencies
Emergency medical care
Female
Forensic
Forensic science
Forensic sciences
Humans
Injuries
Intensive care
Intracranial
Medical imaging
Murders & murder attempts
Paresis - etiology
Pathology
Self-inflicted
Skull
Skull Fractures - diagnostic imaging
Stab injury
Stabbings
Subarachnoid Hemorrhage - diagnostic imaging
Suicide
Suicide, Attempted
Suicides & suicide attempts
Temporal Lobe - diagnostic imaging
Temporal Lobe - injuries
Tomography, X-Ray Computed
Wounds, Stab - diagnostic imaging
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Summary:Abstract Self-inflicted stab injury to the skull, particularly in the neurocranium, is a rare method used to commit suicide. Herein is presented a case of a 26-year old woman with a temporal wound found by her partner in their home. No weapon was found in the approximate environment and the victim said that she fell. A CT scan performed at admission to the emergency room was interpreted as being compatible with injury from falls. A second CT scan in a neurosurgical unit suggested a cranio-cerebral injury from a sharp object; aggression was suspected. The discording elements led to an interview with a psychiatrist and diagnosis of attempted suicide through the action of a knife in the context of severe depression. This is a rare case that implicates a depressive woman and stabbing directly to the neurocranium.
ISSN:0379-0738
1872-6283
DOI:10.1016/j.forsciint.2012.12.003