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Unusual attempted suicide or covered attempted homicide? A neck stabbing case report and review of literature

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Abstract

A medico-legal consult is frequently required in a clinical context in order to assess the eventual compatibility of specific wounds with a self- or hetero-infliction. Accordingly, the case of a 52-year-old man with a single, penetrating stab wound of the neck, reported as self-inflicted, is here presented. The forensic aspects, taken into account in order to determine the self- or hetero-infliction nature of the wound, are further discussed and compared to cases described in the literature.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Section of Legal Medicine, Department of Health Promotion Sciences, Maternal and Infant Care, Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties (PROMISE), University of Palermo, Via del Vespro, 129, 90127, Palermo, Italy

    Chiara Stassi, Gennaro Baldino & Elvira Ventura Spagnolo

  2. Section of Legal Medicine, Department of Biomedical and Dental Sciences and Morphofunctional Imaging, University of Messina, Via Consolare Valeria, Gazzi, 98125, Messina, Italy

    Cristina Mondello & Daniela Sapienza

  3. Unit of Vascular Surgery, Department of Biomedical and Dental Sciences and Morphofunctional Imaging, Policlinico G. Martino, University of Messina, Via Consolare Valeria, Gazzi, 98125, Messina, Italy

    Filippo Benedetto & Francesco La Corte

  4. Section of Radiological Sciences, Department of Biomedical Sciences and Morphological and Functional Imaging, University of Messina Via Consolare Valeria, Gazzi, 98125, Messina, Italy

    Ignazio Salamone

  5. IRCCS Centro Neurolesi Bonino-Pulejo, Messina, Italy

    Luigi Cardia

Authors
  1. Chiara Stassi
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  2. Cristina Mondello
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  3. Gennaro Baldino
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  4. Filippo Benedetto
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  5. Francesco La Corte
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  6. Ignazio Salamone
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  7. Daniela Sapienza
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  8. Luigi Cardia
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  9. Elvira Ventura Spagnolo
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Contributions

Conceptualization: Elvira Ventura Spagnolo, Chiara Stassi. Investigation: Cristina Mondello and Daniela Sapienza (Forensic consultants); Luigi Cardia (Anesthesiologists); Ignazio Salamone (Radiologist); Filippo Benedetto and Francesco La Corte (Vascular surgeons). Supervision: Elvira Ventura Spagnolo. Original draft writing: Chiara Stassi and Gennaro Baldino. Review and editing: Chiara Stassi and Elvira Ventura Spagnolo.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Elvira Ventura Spagnolo.

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The consent to use the clinical data and TC image for research purpose has been provided by the patient. The data of the case were reported respecting the anonymity of the subject.

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The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Stassi, C., Mondello, C., Baldino, G. et al. Unusual attempted suicide or covered attempted homicide? A neck stabbing case report and review of literature. Int J Legal Med 135, 555–559 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00414-020-02379-w

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00414-020-02379-w

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