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Citation |
Strajina V, Zivković V, Nikolic S. Am. J. Forensic Med. Pathol. 2012; 33(4): 373-376. |
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Affiliation |
From the Institute of Forensic Medicine, University of Belgrade - School of Medicine, Belgrade, Serbia. |
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Copyright |
(Copyright © 2012, Lippincott Williams and Wilkins) |
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DOI |
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PMID |
22354080 |
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Abstract |
This study presents a case series of suicides carried out by self-inflicted gunshot wounds to the chest-a relatively uncommon means of suicide. The retrospective autopsy study performed included all cases of single suicidal gunshot injuries to the chest during a 20-year period and which were committed by the use of a handgun. The sample included 67 deceased persons that were an average of 44.4 ± 19.1 years old (range, 12-89 years; 58 men and 9 women). The most common region of the entrance wound was the left side of the chest (54/67), followed by the sternum (10/67), and the right side of the chest (3/67). For 9 subjects, the range of fire could not be determined, as well as whether the shot went through their clothing. In the remaining 58 subjects, only contact or near-contact wounds were found. Of the 58, only 3 subjects had their clothing removed between the chest wall and the muzzle. Three directions of the internal bullet paths were those most frequently found: downward right-to-left (27/67), downward left-to-right (20/67), and downward parallel (10/67) (χ = 101.045, P = 0.000). Also, most bullet paths were directed downward (57/67, χ = 32.970, P = 0.000). The most frequently injured organ was the heart (47/67), and the immediate causes of death were exsanguination (49/67), heart disruption (14/67), and tamponade (4/67). Language: en |