ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Entrapped rings can be dangerous, leading to increased pressure and damage to soft tissue, nerves, and vasculature. In order to properly care for these injuries, it is important for emergency medicine clinicians to be aware of the different approaches to remove entrapped rings. METHODS: We searched PubMed to determine the different techniques and supporting literature for ring removal. DISCUSSION: There are a number of approaches that can be used to remove an entrapped ring. Clinicians should first consider the role of lubricants to reduce surface tension. Specific removal techniques include compression-based methods, traction-based techniques, rotation-based approaches, and the use of ring-cutting devices. There are unique advantages and limitations of each technique that are important to consider. CONCLUSIONS: Emergency medicine clinicians need to be familiar with several different approaches to ring removal. This article summarizes the key techniques, variations on these techniques, advantages, and disadvantages for each approach.