Abdominal self-stabbing: A case report. (June 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Atreya, Alok; Rijal, Dolendra; Kanchan, Tanuj; Shekhawat, Raghvendra S
• Is Part Of: Medico-legal journal. Volume 85:Part 2(2017)
• Page Start: 97
• Page End: 99
• Publication Date: 2017-06
• Subjects: Abdominal injuries -- stab wound -- self-harm -- Nepal; Medical jurisprudence -- Great Britain -- Periodicals; Crime -- Great Britain -- Periodicals; 614.105
• DOI: 10.1177/0025817216683583
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0025-8172

Abstract

While abdominal stabbings are frequently associated with homicides, abdominal self-stabbing is uncommon and poses a challenge for the investigators. In cases of sharp force trauma, the presence of hesitation cuts over the neck and extremities help to distinguish self-inflicted injuries from homicides. Hesitation cuts are not associated with self-inflicted sharp force injuries to the abdomen, and thus are of limited use in distinguishing suicidal from homicidal abdominal stab wounds. In this study, we present a case of self-inflicted abdominal stabbing along with a detailed review of literature to help elucidate such cases.