Forgotten Elastic Band as an Unusual Cause of Limb Ulceration: Case Report and Review of the Literature

Abstract

We discuss a case of circumferential ulceration of the lower leg in a cognitively impaired elderly man with poor tissue integrity. Thorough clinical examination eventually determined the cause as being a circumferentially placed, forgotten elastic band causing ulceration via sustained tension around the limb. Circumferential application of an elastic band to an extremity is an exceedingly rare but serious cause of lower leg ulceration.

Case report: Tunneling foreign body in the metatarsal bones of a dog

“…This is mainly reported in India, where ceremonial or religious bands are tied around wrists and ankles and forgotten (1-3, 7, 8). In humans, cases of rubber band syndrome present with pain, edema, non-healing wounds, draining tracts, and decreased function of the limb (1,2,7,8,12,16,18,19). There is limited literature describing this syndrome in animals, with the majority of reports including cervical foreign bodies in four dogs (4,6,13,17) and one cat (11).…”