VOLUME 36 - NUMBER 5 - 2015

Hair tourniquet syndrome: revisited


  • Hussin P., Mawardi M., Masran M.S., Ganaisan P.
  • Clinical practice, 219-221
  • Full text PDF

  • Hair tourniquet syndrome is a rare condition. It is an important emergency condition where urgent attention is needed. In this condition, body appendages are strangulated by hair that acts like a tourniquet. A strand or strands of hair act like a circumferential constriction band and subsequently strangulate the body appendages. Commonly affected sites include fingers, toes or even genitals. Failure to identify and release the acute constriction may result in amputation of affected body part. We report two cases of hair tourniquet syndrome of the thumb and toe that were successfully released without complications.

  • KEY WORDS: Hair tourniquet syndrome.