Infectious Disease Book

Tick-Borne Disease

  • Tick Removal

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Tick Removal

Aka: Tick Removal
  1. See Also
    1. Tick-Borne Disease
  2. Technique: Manual tick extraction
    1. Tools
      1. Blunt angled forceps with medium size tips
      2. Specific Tick Removal devices
        1. Sawyer Tick Pliers (B & A Products)
        2. Pro-Tick Remedy (SCS Limited)
        3. Ticked Off (Ticked Off, inc.)
    2. Removal
      1. Grasp tick as close to embedded mouth as possible
      2. Pull perpendicular to skin without twisting
    3. Post-extraction care
      1. Apply antiseptic to extraction sites
      2. Observe for complication signs (e.g. local infection)
      3. See Lyme Disease for post-exposure prophylaxis
  3. Precautions: Methods to avoid
    1. Avoid using sharp forceps
    2. Avoid crushing or puncturing tick body
    3. Do not apply solvents to tick
    4. Do not apply Lidocaine, gas, Vaseline to tick
    5. Do not apply hot match or nail to tick
    6. Do not twist tick head to remove
    7. Do not thread Suture Needle through tick
  4. References
    1. Haynes in Pfenninger (1994) Procedures, p. 125-6
    2. Gammons (2002) Am Fam Physician 66:643-6

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