Suicides by sharp force: typical and atypical features

A total of 65 consecutive cases of suicide by sharp force were investigated by evaluating the autopsy and prosecution department records. Suicides con stituted 17% of all fatalities from sharp force autopsied between 1967 and 1996. Young males and persons with a psychiatric history predominated among the persons who chose this "hard" method of suicide. The most common imple ments used were knives (62%) and razor blades (15%). Cutting injuries in is olation were present in 26, stab injuries in isolation in 24 and a combinat ion of both in 15 fatalities. The number of injuries per case varied from 1 to 37 but 1/3 showed one injury. More than 85% of the cutting injuries wer e located at the wrist, elbow crease or neck whereas 79% of the stab injuri es involved the ventral aspect of the trunk. Perforation of clothing was pr esent in 16 (52%) out of 31 stab injuries to the trunk. Injuries to mon tha n one body region were observed in 34 (52%) cases. Tentative marks were pre sent in 50 (77%) fatalities and the number varied from 1 to 60 per case. Su perficial incisions of the fingers were found in 15% with razor blades cons tituting the weapon in half of these cases. Deviations from these typical p atterns occurred not infrequently. The utter determination of the victim to carry it through or the use of unusual weapons resulted in a few bizarre c ases which are outlined briefly.