An unusual case of suicide: Near decapitation by a modified table saw

Table saws are dangerous tools able to create severe injuries. In accidental injuries, the most commonly injured body parts are fingers (85.9%) while amputations occur in 10% of cases. Accidental neck or head injuries account for only 3.1% of all injuries. Table saws cause nearly half of all saw-related amputations. There are approximately 30,000 cases of table saw-related injuries in the United States annually, but only a few table saw-related suicides have been reported in the scientific literature. In regard to suicides, usually the head or the neck is targeted. Usually, only the soft tissues of the neck are injured because the blade height limits the cutting depth and the victim falls down from the table saw before complete transection. A rare case of suicide committed by a modified table saw that resulted in near decapitation is presented. Previously reported cases of suicides by table saw are also reviewed.