Circumferential suicidal cutting of the lower legs.

A 69-year-old woman committed suicide by cutting her lower legs with a safety razor blade. Autopsy revealed horizontal incised wounds around the circumference of the lower legs, 24 cm above the heels, cutting superficial veins on both sides, the underlying lower legs muscles, and extending into both lower leg bones with associated hematoma formation. Also, there were a large number of superficial tentative or "hesitation" cuts ranging from 3 to 6 cm over the lower legs. Death was attributed to hemorrhagic shock following injuries to blood vessels of the lower legs.