BACKGROUND: Oral and perioral soft tissue injuries are common in early childhood, when oral exploration and imitation of adult grooming coincide with immature motor control. Motorized electric nail trimmers—battery-powered devices with a rotating element behind a small aperture—are commonly available; some reports have described entrapment of the tongue, facial skin, and eyelid in children. This report presents 3 pediatric cases of lip entrapment, laceration, and tongue injury caused by such devices.

CASE REPORT: Case 1: A 4-year-old girl presented with lower lip entrapment after activating a device against her mouth. Bedside release was unsuccessful; the fire and safety team isolated the battery and opened the casing, after which a deep lower lip laceration was irrigated and managed by primary closure. Case 2: A 3-year-old boy presented with upper lip entrapment in a similar device. After coordinated dismantling and reversal of the rotating mechanism, a laceration crossing the vermilion border was repaired under local anesthesia. Case 3: A 2-year-old girl sustained a tongue injury after contacting an activated device with her tongue. The device became detached, and a superficial abrasion of the tongue tip was managed conservatively. All 3 children healed without complications.

CONCLUSIONS: These cases illustrate that motorized electric nail trimmers can cause oral soft tissue injuries in young children, ranging from superficial abrasion to deep lip laceration requiring primary surgical repair. Avoidance of forceful traction, controlled release of the device, and subsequent wound repair were feasible management approaches. These cases do not establish the incidence or comparative risk of such injuries.

Keywords: Emergency Medicine, Lip, Nails, Pediatrics