[Multiple firearm injury caused with a blank pistol].

Abstract

The authors present a case of a complex suicide of a 60-year-old woman found dead on her bed. A blank pistol Umarex caliber 9-mm, several blank cartridges and a lot of drug packages were discovered near the body. The woman suffered from a psychiatric depression. There were three gunshot wounds on the body: in the right temporal region, on the palatum of the mouth and on the left chest wall. The gunshot wounds in the right temporal region and in the mouth had central circle defects with the margins of stellate or star-like appearance and blackening. In the right temporal region the temporal muscle was contused but skull and intracranial tissues were without any injury. On the palatum of the mouth there was neither facial skeleton nor skull injury. The numerous small tears of lips and contusions of buccal mucosa were observed. On the left chest wall there was an abrasion with a bruise on the skin and contusion of thoracic muscles. Neither ribs nor intrathoracic organs were inflicted. At autopsy blood in the amount of 600 ml and a few tablets were found in the stomach as well as an insignificant blood aspiration into lungs. In spite of the fact that all the gunshot wounds were caused by shots fired at contact range they were not lethal. The woman died of lethal intoxication with tramadol and dibenzepin. Although this report differs from the ones published in literature, the authors believe that can contribute to the issue of gunshot wounds caused by gas weapons.