Derm

Hair Tourniquet

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Hair Tourniquet, Tourniquet syndrome

  • See Also
  1. Unconsolable Infant
  • Definition
  1. Hair, thread or fiber wrapped tightly around appendage (i.e. finger, toe, penis)
  • Pathophysiology
  1. Pain results from cutting into skin or constricting flow
  • Epidemiology
  1. Typically limited to infants
  • Symptoms
  1. Unconsolable Infant
  • Signs
  1. Proximal ligature (hair, thread, fiber)
  2. Erythematous, swollen distal digit or penis
  • Management
  1. Cutting ligature
    1. Attempt to lift ligature off skin with forceps without teeth (or Mosquito clamp)
    2. Cut ligature with iris scissors
  2. Depilatory agent (e.g. Nair)
    1. Apply to Hair Tourniquet
    2. Works slowly and only with hair (not effective for synthetic fibers or threads)
  • References
  1. O'Gorman (2011) Pediatr Emerg Care 27(3):203-4 [PubMed]