Prevention of ear‐looped face mask‐induced pressure injury on ears: A Technical report with review of literature

Fareedi Mukram Ali, Abdullah Saeed Wasli, Abbas Hasan Hobani, Samira Hussain Al faraj, Essa Hamoud Mashiakhy, Ali Mohammed Alkhayrat, Reem Abdullah Khawaji, Reem Abdullah Khawaji

Abstract


In modern times, protective masks with flexible loops are commonly used to prevent the spread of microorganisms during surgical procedure the constant contact of the stretching bands caused by wearing a mask for several hours’ daily causes pressure on this cartilage, leading to painful and erythematous lesions on the skin behind the auricles. Patients and the public now wear masks for extended periods of time. Over time, wearing this mask frequently can cause damage to the ear. Consequently, people regularly switch out their masks to alleviate pressure, increasing their chances of getting infected. Doctors and other healthcare professionals should be aware that continued use may cause damage to the ears and auricles. This article addresses a novel method to alleviate stress on the ear loops of surgical masks and examines the typical ear injuries or pressure injuries on the ear mentioned in literature regarding prolonged mask usage and ways to prevent them.

Keywords: Pressure injury; Ear injury; Pinna injury; Surgical masks; Elastic ear loops   


Full Text:

PDF

References


Rahman MZ, Hoque ME, Alam MR, Rouf MA, Khan SI, Xu H, Ramakrishna S. Face Masks to Combat Coronavirus (COVID-19)-Processing, Roles, Requirements, Efficacy, Risk and Sustainability. Polymers (Basel), (2022); 14(7):1296.

Gyapong F, Debrah E, Oforiwaa M, Isawumi A, Mosi L. Challenges and Adverse Effects of Wearing Face Masks in the COVID-19 Era. Challenges, (2022); 13(2):67.

Bothra A, Das S, Singh M, Pawar M, Maheswari A. Retroauricular dermatitis with vehement use of ear loop face masks during COVID-19 pandemic. Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology, (2020); 34(10):e549-e552.

Rosner E. Adverse Effects of Prolonged Mask Use among Healthcare Professionals during COVID-19. Journal of Infectious Diseases and Epidemiology, (2020); 6:130.

Gefen A, Alves P, Ciprandi G, Coyer F, Milne CT, et al. Device related pressure ulcers: SECURE prevention. Journal of wound care, (2020); 29 (Suppl 2a): S1-S52.

Rendon JM, Jones CL, Green WL. Pandemic Pinna Injury. The Journal of Emergency Medicine, (2022); 62(4):e91–e92.

Zanotti B, Parodi PC, Riccio M, De Francesco F, Zingaretti N. Can elastic of surgical face masks stimulate ear protrusion in children? Aesthetic plastic surgery, (2020); 44(5):1947-1950.

Lan J, Song Z, Miao X, Li H, Li Y, et al. (2020) Skin damage among health care workers managing coronavirus disease-2019. Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, (2020); 82(5):1215-1216.

Jiang W, Cao W, Liu Q. Wearing the N95 mask with a plastic handle reduces pressure injury. Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, (2020); 82(6):e191-e192.

Delmore BA, Ayello EA. Pressure injuries caused by medical devices and other objects: a clinical update. The American journal of nursing, (2017); 117(12):36-45.

European Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel, National Pressure Injury Advisory Panel, Pan Pacific Pressure Injury Alliance. Prevention and Treatment of Pressure Ulcers/Injuries: Clinical Practice Guideline. The International

Guideline. Haesler E, Ed. EPUAP/NPIAP/PPPIA; 2019. https://www.biosanas.com.br/uploads/outros/artigos_cientificos/127/956e02196892d7140b9bb3cdf116d13b.pdf. (Accessed: 12.11.2023).

Levine JM, Ayello EA, Persaud B, Spinner R. Medical Device-Related Pressure Injury to the Ear from a Mask. Advances in skin & wound care, (2021); 34(7):380-383.

Black JM, Cuddigan JE, Walko MA, Didier LA, Lander MJ, Kelpe MR. Medical device related pressure ulcers in hospitalized patients. International wound journal, (2010); 7(5): 358-65.

Hammad Y, Neal TW, Sullivan SR, Schlieve T. Pressure Injury due to Prolonged Face Mask Use during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Journal of Head Neck Surgery, (2022); 4(1):166-169.

Koti B, Zaveri S, Shah B, Anand S, Tagliaferri AR. Mask-Induced Partial Transection of the External Ear Requiring Complex Surgical Reconstruction. Cureus, (2022); 14(5): e25390.

Foo CC, Goon AT, Leow YH, Goh CL. Adverse skin reactions to personal protective equipment against severe acute severe acute respiratory syndrome-a descriptive study in Singapore. Contact Dermatitis, (2006); 55:291-294.

Donovan J, Kudla I, Holness L, Skotnicki-Grant S. Skin reactions following use of N95 facial masks. Dermatitis, (2007); 18:104.

Al Badri FM. Surgical mask contact dermatitis and epidemiology of contact dermatitis in healthcare workers. Current Allergy & Clinical Immunology, (2017); 30: 183-188.

Purushothaman, P.; Priyangha, E.; Vaidhyswaran, R. Effects of Prolonged Use of Facemask on Health Care Workers in Tertiary Care Hospital During COVID-19 Pandemic. Indian journal of otolaryngology and head and neck surgery, (2021); 73(1):59–65.

Hu K, Fan J, Li X, Gou X, Li X, Zhou X. The adverse skin reactions of health care workers using personal protective equipment for COVID19. Medicine (Baltimore), (2020); 12; 99(24):e20603.

Venesoja A, Grönman K, Tella S, Hiltunen S, Koljonen K, et al. Healthcare Workers' Experiences and Views of Using Surgical Masks and Respirators, and Their Attitudes on the Sustainability: A Semi-Structured Survey Study during COVID-19. Nursing reports. 2021 Aug 7; 11(3):615-628.

Gattani VN, Gattani G. ‘Novel’ Ear Injuries in Novel Corona Virus Era. Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, (2022); 21:112–114.

Kaikati J, Abou Khater J, Merhy R, Stephan F. A rare case of bilateral ear perforation due to excessive and prolonged mask wearing in a patient with coronaphobia. Annales de dermatologie et de venereologie, (2023); 150(1):56-58.

Kainth GS. Novel tip to prevent ear irritation with surgical face masks (FRSM) during the corona virus (COVID-19) pandemic. Annals of the Royal College of Surgeons of England, (2020); 102(6):470-471.

Mukhtar M. Novel techniques for wearing an ear-looped mask to reduce pressure on the ear. Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, (2020); 83(5):e333-e334.

Jiang W, Cao W, Liu Q. Wearing the N95 mask with a plastic handle reduces pressure injury. Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, (2020); 82(6):e191-e192.

Facial pressure injuries and skin issues from PPE. https://coronavirus.wh.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/PPE-Facial-Pressure-Injuries-and-Skin-Issues-from-PPE-V1.1-26.09.2020.pdf. (Assessed on 16.12.2023).

Padula WV, Cuddigan J, Ruotsi L, et al. Best-practices for preventing skin injury beneath personal protective equipment during the COVID-19 pandemic: A position paper from the National Pressure Injury Advisory Panel. Journal of clinical nursing, (2023); 32(3-4):625-632.

Yap KK, Murali M, Tan Z, Zhou X, Li L, et al. Wax-oil lubricants to reduce the shear between skin and PPE. Scientific reports, (2021); 11(1):11537.

Lim EC, Seet RC, Lee KH, Wilder-Smith EP, Chuah BY, et al. Headaches and the N95 face-mask amongst healthcare providers. Acta neurologica Scandinavica, (2006); 113(3):199-202.

Rebmann T, Carrico R, Wang J (2013) Physiologic and other effects and compliance with long-term respirator use among medical intensive care unit nurses. American journal of infection control, (2013); 41(12):1218-1223.

Johnson AT. Respirator masks protect health but impact performance: A review. Journal of biological engineering, (2016); 9; 10:4.

Techasatian L, Lebsing S, Uppala R, Thaowandee W, Chaiyarit J, et al.The effects of the face mask on the skin underneath: a prospective survey during the COVID-19 pandemic. Journal of primary care & community health, (2020); 11:1–7.




DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.62940/als.v11i3.2636

Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.