CANCELLED I1b: Strangulation Injury in a Hijab Wearing Pepper Grinder

Ernest N. Morial New Orleans Convention Center 

Strangulation injuries are relatively uncommon but potentially life-threatening events that can occur in various occupational settings where machines have unprotected revolving parts.

This presentation shares a unique case of strangulation injury in a hijab-wearing pepper grinder in Ibadan, Nigeria, who was seen at the Department of Otorhinolaryngology (ORL) and head and neck, University College Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria. A hijab, more commonly, is a reference to a head covering worn by women, especially those of the Muslim faith to cover the hair and neck of a woman and comes in various styles and lengths. The patient in this study is a 10-year-old female, presented to the department with signs and symptoms consistent with strangulation: neck swelling, hoarseness, and difficulty breathing. Detailed history taking revealed that the patient's hijab got entangled in the rotating mechanism of a pepper grinding machine. She was stuck in the machine for about one minute leading to the strangulation injury. Prompt recognition and intervention were critical in managing this case. Although patient was lost to follow up three months after commencement of treatment.

This report underscores the importance of workplace safety measures and highlights the need for public awareness campaigns to prevent such incidents especially amongst workers in the small-scale industries in Nigeria.

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Safety