Injuries and wounds: suicidal cut throat: practice question

A Forensic Medicine question in the style of the NEET PG paper. Answer it first, then read why the right option is right and why each of the others is wrong.

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Forensic Medicine · Injuries and wounds: suicidal cut throat

Sample item

A man is found dead in a locked bathroom with a razor in his hand and a deep incised wound across the front of his neck. Which finding on the neck best favours suicide over homicide?

AComplete division of the neck structures down to the vertebraeBA single wound confined to the back of the neckCSeveral shallow parallel cuts beside the main woundDCuts on the palms and the ulnar border of the forearm

Original practice item, not a recalled exam question. Nothing here is recorded.

The answer and the reasoning

C. Several shallow parallel cuts beside the main wound

In suicidal cut throat the person often makes tentative, shallow, parallel cuts before the fatal one. The wound is usually on the front or side of the neck, is deepest near its start and tails off, and the large vessels are often spared. Palm cuts indicate defence, and a very deep wound reaching the spine suggests assault.

Option by option

A. Complete division of the neck structures down to the vertebrae
Division of all structures down to the spine suggests great force and is more in keeping with homicide.
B. A single wound confined to the back of the neck
Suicidal neck wounds are made on the front or side that the person can reach, so a wound on the back of the neck suggests assault.
C. Several shallow parallel cuts beside the main wound (correct)
Correct. Multiple tentative cuts reflect hesitation, which is typical of self-infliction.
D. Cuts on the palms and the ulnar border of the forearm
Cuts on the palms and ulnar forearm are defence wounds, which point to an assault.

Source note: Original NextPrep sample item — pending expert review. This item is original practice material awaiting independent expert review, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.

Questions about this Forensic Medicine question

What is the answer to this Forensic Medicine question?

The best answer is C, Several shallow parallel cuts beside the main wound. In suicidal cut throat the person often makes tentative, shallow, parallel cuts before the fatal one.

Why is "Complete division of the neck structures down to the vertebrae" not the answer?

Division of all structures down to the spine suggests great force and is more in keeping with homicide.

Why is "A single wound confined to the back of the neck" not the answer?

Suicidal neck wounds are made on the front or side that the person can reach, so a wound on the back of the neck suggests assault.

Why is "Cuts on the palms and the ulnar border of the forearm" not the answer?

Cuts on the palms and ulnar forearm are defence wounds, which point to an assault.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Injuries and wounds: suicidal cut throat in Forensic Medicine. The wound is usually on the front or side of the neck, is deepest near its start and tails off, and the large vessels are often spared. Palm cuts indicate defence, and a very deep wound reaching the spine suggests assault.

How hard is this question?

We tag it as an application question: it asks you to use a fact on a patient or a finding. The tag is our own editorial judgement, not an official difficulty rating, so read the reason for every option, not only the answer.

How should I study Injuries and wounds: suicidal cut throat?

Learn postmortem changes with their timelines, and toxicology as poison, sign, test and antidote. Then use the flashcards and the other Forensic Medicine questions on this site to test what stuck.

Is this a real NEET PG question?

No. It is an original practice item (editorial status: sample, version 1). NextPrep does not publish recalled or leaked questions, and independent faculty review of this item has not been completed yet, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.