Elastic Band, Friend or Foe? A Case of Digital Amputation Following Accidental Elastic Band Application and a Review of the Literature

Abstract

We present a case of a necrotic finger caused by misguided self-application of an elastic band. The influence of elastic bands in medicine is then discussed.

Retained foreign body masquerading as chronic osteomyelitis: A series of 3 cases and literature review

“…7 Whitaker et al have described amputation of part of index finger due to elastic rubber band self applied proximally to stop bleeding from a wound by a 68-year-old lady. 8 While these are acute or subacute complications, chronic complications can also occur. Arora et al have described a 'Dhaga Syndrome' 9 while Agarwal et al have described a 'Rubber Band Syndrome' or 'Elastic Band Syndrome' 10 in a pediatric age group where growth is rapid and a religious thread (Moli thread) or some elastic band put on the wrist is forgotten due to circumferential skin creases (especially in chubby children) or hidden by use of loose bangles around the wrist in female children which hide the thread or band.…”

“…4 However, not all discharging sinuses are because of Chronic OM. [5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24]…”

A Case of an Elderly Patient With Rubber Band Syndrome

“…Hogeboom and Stephens 3 were the first to report on RBS in 1965; since then, to our knowledge, there have been 5 reported cases of adults with RBS of the upper extremity ( Table 1 ). 1 , 2 , 4 , 5 , 6 The affected sites were fingers in 4 cases and the upper arm in 1 case. Since most reported cases are in children, RBS in adults is considered to be extremely rare.…”