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Clinical pearl: Safety pin and paper clip for avoiding pressure injury of ear looped mask on pinna
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Received: ,
Accepted: ,
How to cite this article: Mukhtar M. Clinical pearl: Safety pin and paper clip for avoiding pressure injury of ear looped mask on pinna. CosmoDerma 2023;3:57.
PROBLEM
The pressure injury of elastic ear loops on the pinna (auricle) is inevitable in medical personnel due to long-term wearing of an ear-looped face mask. These elastics cause constant compression on the skin and the cartilage of the auricle, leading numbness, to erythematous and painful lesions. There are many devices or techniques, such as the wrapping of the ear loop on the spec and goggles handle, customized straw pipes, tourniquets, and serrated plastic bands that have been used to minimize the pressure on the pinna.[1-3] Here, a simple, readily available device, a safety pin, and a paper clip can be used to reduce the pressure of the ear loop of the mask on the pinna.
SOLUTION
To reduce the pressure of the ear loop on the pinna, a safety pin, paper clip, and ear loop of used mask can be used. The tip of the safety pin is cut to blunt with a plier to make the pin safe from prick injury [Figure 1a]. After this, one loop of the mask is noosed or attached to the spring side of the pin. Then, the mask is put on around the neck, and then another loop is noosed or fixed in the clasp of the pin. Following this, the loop is adjusted over the pinna. Thus, pressure on the pinna is avoided except on the superior border of the pinna [Figure 1b]. In the case of allergic contact dermatitis, due to its nickel coating and sweating, the ear loop of the used mask can be used for tying the ear loop of the worn mask behind the neck [Figure 2]. There are few advantages to using the pin and clip. First, it is readily available, cost-effective, and durable. Second, it is reusable and long-lasting. In place of the pin and paper clip, a ear loop from the used mask can be used to fix the ear loop behind the neck [Figures 3a-d].
- (a and b) The modified safety pin is used to reduce pressure of ear looped face mask on the pinna.
- The ear loop of the used mask can be used in place of safety pin causing allergic dermatitis.
- (a-d) The different stage of using ear loop of used face mask to reduce pressure on pinna.
Declaration of patient consent
Patient’s consent not required as patients identity is not disclosed or compromised.
Conflicts of interest
There are no conflicts of interest.
Financial support and sponsorship
Nil.
References
- The novel application of a tourniquet for reducing medical device-related pressure on the ears. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2022;87:e95-6.
- [CrossRef] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Novel techniques for wearing an ear-looped mask to reduce pressure on the ear. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2020;83:e333-4.
- [CrossRef] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Serrated straw makes masks adjustable and reduces pressure injury risk. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2023;88:e115-6.
- [CrossRef] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
