Generic selectors
Exact matches only
Search in title
Search in content
Post Type Selectors
Filter by Categories
Brief Report
Case Report
Editorial
Focus
Images/Instrument in Dermatology/Dermatosurgery
Innovations
Letter to the Editor
Living Legends
Looking back in history
Original Article
Perspective
Resident Forum
Review Article
Spot the Diagnosis
Tropical Dermatology
Visual Treats in Dermatology
Generic selectors
Exact matches only
Search in title
Search in content
Post Type Selectors
Filter by Categories
Brief Report
Case Report
Editorial
Focus
Images/Instrument in Dermatology/Dermatosurgery
Innovations
Letter to the Editor
Living Legends
Looking back in history
Original Article
Perspective
Resident Forum
Review Article
Spot the Diagnosis
Tropical Dermatology
Visual Treats in Dermatology
Generic selectors
Exact matches only
Search in title
Search in content
Post Type Selectors
Filter by Categories
Brief Report
Case Report
Editorial
Focus
Images/Instrument in Dermatology/Dermatosurgery
Innovations
Letter to the Editor
Living Legends
Looking back in history
Original Article
Perspective
Resident Forum
Review Article
Spot the Diagnosis
Tropical Dermatology
Visual Treats in Dermatology
View/Download PDF

Translate this page into:

Innovations
2023
:3;
57
doi:
10.25259/CSDM_61_2023

Clinical pearl: Safety pin and paper clip for avoiding pressure injury of ear looped mask on pinna

Department of Dermatology, Mukhtar Skin Centre, Katihar, Bihar, India.

*Corresponding author: Muhammed Mukhtar, Department of Dermatology, Mukhtar Skin Centre, Katihar, Bihar, India. drmmukhtar20@gmail.com

Licence
This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-Share Alike 4.0 License, which allows others to remix, transform, and build upon the work non-commercially, as long as the author is credited and the new creations are licensed under the identical terms.

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.
Figure 1:
(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.
Figure 2:
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.
Figure 3:
(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

  1. , , . 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]
  2. . 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]
  3. , , . Serrated straw makes masks adjustable and reduces pressure injury risk. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2023;88:e115-6.
    [CrossRef] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Fulltext Views
1,759

PDF downloads
896
View/Download PDF
Download Citations
BibTeX
RIS
Show Sections