Vasovagal death from screwdriver stabbing of the neck

A 40-year-old male victim of an assault with a screwdriver died from vasovagal inhibition as a result of stabbing to the neck. The rare mechanism of death was established after an autopsy. The need to avoid contaminating and adversely modifying clinical forensic evidence is emphasized. A stab wound, by definition, has a smaller skin surface wound but a greater subcutaneous depth of its track. It can pose a clinical challenge for the trauma surgeon in assessing cryptogenic serious internal damage beneath an apparently innocent external wound. In the case reported, severe internal haemorrhage was clinically suspected as there was no significant external bleed from blood vessels in the neck. An autopsy explained the rare mechanism of death. The stab wound in the neck was not explored surgically, but it is pertinent to give a reminder of the need to preserve forensic evidence.