Forgotten digital tourniquet: salvage of an ischaemic finger by application of medicinal leeches

Authors: Durrant, C.¹; Townley, W.A.¹; Ramkumar, S.¹; Khoo, C.T.K.¹

Source: Annals of The Royal College of Surgeons of England, Volume 88, Number 5, September 2006 , pp. 462-464(3)

Publisher: The Royal College of Surgeons of England

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Abstract:

Individual finger tourniquets are appropriate to the management of a wide range of conditions presenting to an accident and emergency department. They are simpler and more comfortable to use than upper arm pneumatic tourniquets and commercially available digital tourniquets are not readily available in the accident and emergency unit. However, if a finger tourniquet is overlooked, ischaemia of the digit results, and gangrene may follow if the problem is not defused early enough, leading to potential disaster. We present one case where a digit was salvaged after 4 days of tourniquet application, using medicinal leeches.

Keywords: FINGER TOURNIQUETS; GANGRENE; MEDICINAL LEECHES

Document Type: Case report

DOI: 10.1308/003588406X117052

Affiliations: 1: Wexham Park Hospital, Slough, Berkshire, UK

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