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Case Report: R. A. Haene and M. Loeffler Hair tourniquet syndrome in an infant J Bone Joint Surg Br 2007; 89-B: 244-245 [Abstract] [Full text] [PDF]

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Infant hair tourniquet syndrome as a result of loose sock fibres

Amol Chitre, Anne Foster and Max J. Fehily   (26 March 2007)

Infant hair tourniquet syndrome as a result of loose sock fibres 26 March 2007
Amol Chitre, Specialist Registrar, Trauma & Orthopaedics North Manchester General Hospital, Anne Foster and Max J. Fehily Send letter to journal: Re: Infant hair tourniquet syndrome as a result of loose sock fibres amolchitre{at}doctors.org.uk Amol Chitre, et al.	Sir, We read this article with interest. This is a rare phenomenon but seems to be more commonly associated with human hair1 and has been linked to Non-Accidental Injury (NAI).2 We had a similar case recently when a two-month-old child was admitted with this condition to the second and third toes on the right foot. Because of the worry of NAI, the child was admitted under joint care between us and our paediatricians and the family was investigated, causing much emotional trauma. The toes settled with urgent removal of fibres and antibiotics. On further investigation, the cause was thought to relate to the type of socks worn by the child. They were heavily embroidered with multiple free fibres on the inside, some of which had loosened and wrapped themselves around the affected toes. We now warn the parents of young infants about the potential risks of such clothing. A. Chitre, Specialist Registrar, Trauma & Orthopaedics, A. Foster, M.J. Fehily, North Manchester General Hospital, Manchester, UK. 1. Mat Saad AZ, Purcell EM, McCann JJ. Hair-thread tourniquet syndrome in an infant with bony erosion: a case report, literature review, and meta-analysis. Ann Plast Surg 2006;57;447-52. 2. Klusmann A, Lenard HG. Tourniquet syndrome--accident or abuse? Eur J Pediatr 2004;163:495-8.