Anatomy - a patient tried to slit his neck, his suicide attempt was unsuccessful, why? (more details below)?

Question

A patient was admitted to hospital with cuts on his neck after attempting suicide. It appears that, whilst trying to sever the vessels in his carotd sheath, he had extended and rotated his head in order to expose more of his neck. What were the anatomical reasons for the suicide attempt being unsuccessful?

Answer 1

When he turns the neck to the opposite side,the upper portion of belly of Sternocleidomastoid would come more anteromedially to overlap the carotid artery.
Since it is difficuilt to cut through a muscle belly,he must have experienced immense pain which reflexly inhibited the muscles of the hand.

Answer 2

By extending and rotating his neck, he stretched and tensed his sternocleidomastoid muscle. This would make it protrude more, making it more likely that he would cut the muscle instead of the blood vessels, which stayed back in their normal place. The only vessel that runs outside the muscle, the external jugular carries the least amount of blood, and would give you the least chance of bleeding out if it is cut compared to the other major blood vessels in your neck.

Answer 3

the carotid sheath lies fairly deep. under cover of large muscles like sternocleidomastoid. its rather difficult to sever ur carotid artery or internal jugular without a severe blow with a sharp instrument...a normal slice won't do it.

also.....strange he would try that unless he had some anatmoical knowledge - the wrist is the first area ppl try and if they try the neck most ppl cut the anterior region (larynx, trachea etc.)

Answer 4

Sternocleidomastoids would take a lot of cutting. He should have gone higher and a little more forward, at the angle of the jaw, with more of a stab than a slice.

Answer 5

most likely took most of the laceration to the larnyx? carotid & jugular sit slightly behind the larnyx and the muscle in the neck that runs laterally along the neck and mandible....that much i remember from A&P class.

Answer 6

He hit the muscle first and didn't cut deep enough.

Answer 7

It was an attempt to get attention not to commit suicide.

Suicides usually slit there wrists, overdose on some kind of
pill or shoot themselves. But they don't cut their carotid, its to
difficult.

MERRY CHRISTMAS and have a nice day.

Thank you very much, while you're up.

Answer 8

When he uses his neck it includes the use of muscles and muscles are harder to cut. (I think)