Atypical suicide by thermal injury to the femoral artery caused by a hot glue gun: A case report and review of the literature

IF 1.4 4区医学 Q3 MEDICINE, LEGAL

Legal Medicine Pub Date : 2025-10-01 DOI:10.1016/j.legalmed.2025.102721

Greta Seveso, Federica Bagini, Giacomo Belli, Luca Morini, Silvia Damiana Visonà, Giovanni Cecchetto, Luca Tajana

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Analyzing suicidal behavior and methods is crucial to gain a deeper understanding of this complex phenomenon, which affects over 700,000 individuals annually and ranks among the leading causes of death worldwide. The global scope of this issue explains why suicide represents a significant public health concern and why it is so important to unveil the complex mechanisms behind its occurrence.

We report a case of a fatal thermal injury to the left femoral artery, self-inflicted with a hot glue gun. The uniqueness of this case lies primarily in the instrument used, which, to the best of our knowledge, has never been reported in the literature as a means of suicide. In fact, the only previously documented case involving a hot glue gun resulted in non-fatal injuries inflicted in a context of maltreatment. Furthermore, the anatomical region involved is unusual, as self-inflicted injuries typically target specific “elective sites” based on the chosen method.

Forensic experts may occasionally encounter atypical suicide cases involving unusual methods or tools, as well as morphologically peculiar injuries. Reporting such cases is essential for expanding our knowledge of the subject, providing valuable references for medico-legal practice, and improving preventive strategies.

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热胶枪致股动脉热伤致非典型自杀一例报告及文献复习。

分析自杀行为和方法对于深入了解这一复杂现象至关重要，这一现象每年影响70多万人，是全世界死亡的主要原因之一。这一问题的全球范围解释了为什么自杀是一个重大的公共卫生问题，以及为什么揭示其发生背后的复杂机制如此重要。我们报告一个致命的热伤左股动脉的情况下，自己造成的热熔胶枪。这个案例的独特性主要在于所使用的工具，据我们所知，在文献中从未报道过作为自杀的手段。事实上，之前记录在案的唯一一起涉及热胶枪的案件导致了在虐待背景下造成的非致命伤害。此外，所涉及的解剖区域是不寻常的，因为基于所选择的方法，自我伤害通常针对特定的“选择性部位”。法医专家可能偶尔会遇到非典型自杀案件，涉及不寻常的方法或工具，以及形态上的特殊伤害。报告这类病例对于扩大我们对这一主题的认识、为医疗法律实践提供有价值的参考和改进预防战略至关重要。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Legal Medicine Nursing-Issues, Ethics and Legal Aspects

CiteScore

2.80

自引率

6.70%

发文量

119

审稿时长

7.9 weeks

期刊介绍： Legal Medicine provides an international forum for the publication of original articles, reviews and correspondence on subjects that cover practical and theoretical areas of interest relating to the wide range of legal medicine. Subjects covered include forensic pathology, toxicology, odontology, anthropology, criminalistics, immunochemistry, hemogenetics and forensic aspects of biological science with emphasis on DNA analysis and molecular biology. Submissions dealing with medicolegal problems such as malpractice, insurance, child abuse or ethics in medical practice are also acceptable.