Unusual Suicide with Chainsaw: An Autopsy Case Report.

Jung, Yonghan; Jang, Seonjung; Park, Hyejin; Lee, Sookyoung

doi:2020.44.1.41

Korean J Leg Med > Volume 44(1); 2020 > Article

Case Report

Korean Journal of Legal Medicine 2020;44(1):41-44.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.7580/kjlm.2020.44.1.41 Published online February 29, 2020.

Unusual Suicide with Chainsaw: An Autopsy Case Report.

Yonghan Jung, Seonjung Jang, Hyejin Park, Sookyoung Lee

¹Forensic Medicine Division, National Forensic Service Busan Institute, Yangsan, Korea. next0608@daum.net
²Medical Examiner's Office, National Forensic Service, Wonju, Korea.

Abstract

In autopsy practice, we encounter case of suicide or murder using various methods or tools. Damage caused by tools such as a knife or hammer is commonly encountered, but a case of damage using a chainsaw is not commonly encountered. We present an autopsy case of a suicide due to neck injury using a chainsaw. A 56-year-old man was found dead with a neck injury and a chainsaw below him. Soft tissue of the neck, thyroid cartilage, trachea, carotid vessels, cervical vertebrae, and cervical spinal cord were found to be cleaved, and a cogwheel-shaped pattern was observed in the injured area.

Key Words: Forensic pathology, Chainsaw, Suicide, Autopsy, Neck injuries