Joined in 2023 
82 
63 About this deal
A hip spica includes the trunk of the body and one or more legs. A hip spica that covers only one leg to the ankle or foot is called a single hip spica, while one that covers both legs is a double hip spica. A one-and-a-half hip spica encases one leg to the ankle or foot and the other to just above the knee. The extent to which the hip spica covers the trunk depends greatly on the injury and the surgeon; the spica may extend only to the navel, allowing mobility of the spine and the possibility of walking with the aid of crutches, or may extend to the rib cage or even to the armpits in some rare cases. Hip spicas are common in maintaining reduction of femoral fractures and are also used for congenital hip dislocations, mostly while the child is still an infant. Shoe covers and aprons or gowns keep shoes and clothes clean to prevent one from appearing sloppy in plaster-covered attire.
If you experience symptoms of calf pain, chest pain or shortness of breath, please attend your local A&E department immediately. Benefits Specialist is softer than Webril and contains wood fiber. It has a corrugated appearance, and there is more tendency for sliding to occur within the material. It is easier to apply without wrinkles than Webril, but it becomes very hard if caked with blood. Due to the limitations of plaster of Paris, surgeons have also experimented with other types of materials for use as splints. An early plastic like material was gutta-percha obtained from the latex of trees found in Malaya. It resembled rubber, but contained more resins. When dry it was hard and inelastic, but when warmed it became soft and malleable. In 1851 Utterhoeven described the use of splints made from this material for the treatment of fractures. In the 1970s, the development of fibreglass casting tape made it possible to produce a cast that was lighter and more durable than the traditional plaster cast and also resistant to water (though the bandages underneath were not) helping the patient be more active. you can usually return to school or work with a cast, but you should avoid strenuous activities that may damage the broken bone or cast Your skin may be flaky, dry and itchy. A gentle wash or bath, followed by a moisturising cream, will help.Never use anything to scratch under the cast. The slightest scratch could develop into a serious infection. Extend leg casts to support the metatarsal heads, but not to interfere with flexion and extension of the toes. This rule is invalid when the toes need support (as with fractures of the great toe or metatarsals) or when there is a motor or sensory deficit. In these situations, the cast is extended as a platform to support and protect the toes. Place a ½-in piece of sponge rubber beneath the toes and incorporate it into the plaster for walking casts, or supply the patient with a commercial cast shoe.
Both fiberglass and plaster splints and casts use padding, usually cotton, as a protective layer next to the skin. Both materials come in strips or rolls, which are dipped in water and applied over the padding covering the injured area. In some cases, special waterproof padding and cast material may be used. Your doctor will let you know if your cast is made and padded with these waterproof materials. One of his patients after the Battle of Borodino in 1812 was an infantry officer whose arm was amputated at the shoulder. The patient was evacuated immediately following the operation and passed from Russia, through Poland and Germany. When the dressing was removed on his arrival home in France, the wound had healed. Larrey concluded that the fact that the wound had been undisturbed had facilitated healing. After the war, Larrey began stiffening bandages using camphorated alcohol, lead acetate and egg whites beaten in water.Plaster is less expensive than fiberglass and shapes better than fiberglass for some uses. Application In the 1990s the introduction of new cast lining has meant that fiberglass casts with this liner are completely waterproof, allowing patients to bathe, shower, and swim while wearing a cast. The waterproof cast liner however adds approximately 2 to 3 more minutes to the application time of the cast and increases the cost of the cast. [6] Do not get your plaster cast wet. This will weaken it, and your bone will no longer be properly supported. Crepe bandages, commonly made of cotton, are a woven, elasticated bandage. Crepe bandages are ideal to support the healing of sprains and strains, as they provide good compression to injured areas, as per the PRICE method, but as they’re elastic they don’t prevent joints or muscles from flexing. Cotton also allows the skin to breathe, and these bandages are washable and reusable. Crepe bandages can also be used for dressing retention. Patients with a cast on their leg (above or below the knee) are at risk of developing a clot in the calf known as a deep vein thrombosis.
Although these bandages were an improvement over Larrey's method, they were far from ideal. They required a long time to apply and dry and there was often shrinkage and distortion. A great deal of interest had been aroused in Europe around 1800 by a British diplomat, consul William Eton, who described a method of treating fractures that he had observed in Turkey. He noted that gypsum plaster (plaster of Paris) was moulded around the patient's leg to cause immobilization. If the cast became loose due to atrophy or a reduction in swelling, then additional gypsum plaster was added to fill the space. Adapting the use of plaster of Paris for use in hospitals, however, took some time. In 1828, doctors in Berlin were treating leg fractures by aligning the bones in a long narrow box, which they filled with moist sand. Substitution of plaster of Paris for the sand was the next logical step. Such plaster casts did not succeed however as the patient was confined to bed due to the casts being heavy and cumbersome. Elevate. It is very important to elevate your injured arm or leg for the first 24 to 72 hours. Prop your injured arm or leg up above your heart by putting it on pillows or some other support. You will have to recline if the splint or cast is on your leg. Elevation allows clear fluid and blood to drain "downhill" to your heart. Do not walk on a cast unless you have been told it is safe to do so and have been given a plaster shoe.
Full access? Get Clinical Tree
Call the doctor if you notice a strange or unpleasant smell coming from the cast. Perspiration or moisture under the cast can cause mold or mildew to grow. The skin can break down and become infected if it remains wet for a long time.
Great Deal 
New Comment