Turban pin aspiration; a potential risk for young Islamic girls

A turban is a kind of headcover, worn for religious intentions. In Islamic countries, girls start to wear a turban with the onset of puberty. Turban p ins (headscarf needles) are used for attaching the layers of turban to each other in order to keep it in a steady position around the head. Aspiration of these pins is investigated in accordance with age groups, pin character istics and treatment. From 1987 through 1998, 63 girls were admitted to our department with turban pin aspiration. All patients were healthy prior to aspiration. The median age was 14 years. Foreign bodies were removed, eithe r by rigid bronchoscopy (n = 57), flexible bronchoscopy (n = 2), laryngosco py (n = 3) or thoracotomy (n = 1). Repeated bronchoscopy rate was 8% (n = 5 ) and we had no mortality. This recently recognized aspiration hazard can b e minimized by using adhesive bands or snap fasteners, instead of pins, whe n wearing a turban. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reser ved.