Authors: Faisal Alghamdi , Fatmah Alaskar , Rahaf Alamrai

Abstract

Background: Hair tourniquet syndrome is a potentially serious condition in which a strand of hair or thread tightly encircles a body part, leading to progressive swelling and possible ischemia if not promptly recognized and treated. Management depends on the depth and severity of the constriction, ranging from chemical dissolution or simple mechanical removal to more invasive techniques when the fiber is deeply embedded.
Case presentation: A 24-day-old female infant presented with a 4-hour history of persistent irritability and inconsolable crying. Examination revealed a swollen toe with a deeply embedded hair tourniquet and no signs of ischemia. Initial manual removal was unsuccessful. But a novel needle-assisted technique was used to hook and cut the embedded hair without incision, achieving complete release.
Conclusion: Deeply embedded hair tourniquets can be difficult to detect and manage, often requiring invasive procedures to relieve the constriction and prevent tissue damage. This case highlights a minimally invasive technique as a potentially simpler and faster alternative for effective removal while minimizing trauma. 

Keywords: Case report, hair tourniquet, needle, hook, needle hook technique, infant.