Le syndrome des cheveux étrangleurs: à propos d'un cas

The syndrome of the tourniquet or “strangler hair” is the consequence of the strangulation of an appendage or body end by a constrictor link. Toes and fingers are the most affected extremities but also the genitals whether it is the penis, small or large lips or clitoris. Most of the links are hair, more rarely textile fibers (cotton, wool). The speed of diagnosis is important in order to proceed to the removal of the link as soon as possible and avoid seeing the process evolve towards necrosis or inflammation. Spontaneous or surgical amputation of the ischemic extremity. The difficulty lies in the fact that inflammatory edema following progressive constriction is a slow process that can last for weeks. The edema participates in the burying of the link making it accessible to the eye, delaying its ablation by increasing the risk of bone damage, necrosis and partial or total amputation. At the beginning of the process, incessant crying can summarize the symptomatology present by the infant. Different methods have been described to remove the link: mechanical or surgical removal. We report the case of an infant who presented edema and painful erythema of abrupt installation of the third left toe outside a traumatic context. The radiograph did not objectify a fracture or other abnormality and the exploration found constriction by the mother's hair. The evolution was favorable after ablation of the hairs and application of the healing creams.