Hair thread tourniquet syndrome in an eight month old infant

Annals of Medical Research, cilt.27, sa.1, ss.399-400, 2020 (Hakemli Dergi)

Circulating hairs or threads may cause hair-thread tourniquet syndrome in babies and mentally retarded individuals. Although it is

mostly seen in the fingers and toes, it can be seen in the penis, clitoris, and labium and uvula. It may result in loss of the limb if it’s not

recognized early and is not treated correctly. In this study, the case of the second toe of the left foot was presented. Eight month old

boy presented with complaints of restlessness and crying for 2 days. Physical examination revealed a constrictive band surrounding

the proximal phalanx second toe of the left foot. There was no evidence of child abuse from the family history. It is recommended

to make a longitudinal deep incision where there is coiling of the finger. Wrapped hair thread were removed and treated with a small

and deep incision dorsally under local anesthesia as described by Serrour. Amoxicillin clavulanic acid was given orally as antibiotic.

The wound was healed without any problem by dressing with antibiotic creams for 10 days. In conclusion, it is important to keep

this syndrome in mind in patients presenting with the mentioned complaints, in terms of diagnosis and recovery of limb with early

treatment.

Keywords: Hair; thread; tourniquet syndrome; child abuse