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Hair tourniquet

Field	Value
synonyms	Toe tourniquet, thread tourniquet syndrome, hair-thread tourniquet syndrome
image	Hairtournequet.JPG
caption	Hair tourniquet of the second toe
field	Pediatrics, Emergency Medicine
symptoms	Pain and swelling of the affected part
complications	Tissue death, autoamputation
onset	2 to 6 months of age
risks	Autism, trichotillomania
prevention	Parent keeping long hair brushed and back, washing baby's clothes separately
treatment	Substance that breaks down hair, cutting through the hair
prognosis	Good with early treatment
frequency	Rare

Hair tourniquet is a condition where hair or thread becomes tightly wrapped around most commonly a toe, and occasionally a finger, genitals, or other body parts.

Most cases occur accidentally. Risk factors may include autism and trichotillomania. The mechanism is believed to involve wet hair becoming wrapped around a body part and then tightening as it dries. Diagnosis involves examination of the entire child. Prevention is by keeping the parent's hair from contact with the baby such as by the parent keeping their hair brushed and back and washing the baby's clothing separately.

Treatment is with a substance that breaks down hair or cutting through the hair. Males and females are equally frequently affected. The first medical description dates from 1832. In some cultures thread is tied around the penis of children with bedwetting or for luck.

Signs and symptoms

As this is a condition primarily of young children, symptoms are rarely reported. The child will become suddenly uncomfortable and miserable. As the digit is often inside a sock, the cause may not be clear.

The affected toe can no longer receive an adequate blood supply via the arteries, nor can blood be drained via the veins. The toe will therefore swell and turn blue, indicating ischemia.

The ligature will not stretch in response to the toe swelling and will therefore cut into the skin in more severe cases, like a cheese-wire.

Treatment

A toe freed of a hair tourniquet. The toe has had to be cut longitudinally to divide the hair

The ligature is cut or dissolved as quickly as possible. Often it is possible to lift a portion of it to enable cutting, but in a severe case the ligature must be cut through the skin. This is, of course, injurious to the child, but may prevent loss of the digit. It must take place on the side of the toe, where there are no nerves or tendons.

Other treatment not requiring minor surgery includes use of a chemical depilatory, such as the over-the-counter product Nair, to dissolve or weaken the hair. This option is not indicated if the hair tourniquet has cut into the skin. Use of depilatory products such as Nair is not an effective treatment on nylon or other fibers that are not human hair.

Prognosis

Loss of the toe is extremely rare, as is any residual disability. Rubber bands can have the same effect.

References

(13 March 2019). "Hair Tourniquet Removal: Background, Indications, Contraindications".
(2012). "Hair-Thread Tourniquet Syndrome: A Case Report and Literature Review". Case Reports in Medicine.

Info: Wikipedia Source

This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page.

injuries infancy safety

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