1 / 11

Casting and Splinting

Casting and Splinting. Ravjot Sarao, M.D. UAB-Selma Family Medicine. Background. To immobilize orthopedic injuries To promote healing Maintain bone alignment Diminish pain Protect injury Help compensate for surrounding muscular weakness. Conditions that benefit from Immobilization.

brandie
Download Presentation

Casting and Splinting

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Casting and Splinting Ravjot Sarao, M.D. UAB-Selma Family Medicine

  2. Background To immobilize orthopedic injuries To promote healing Maintain bone alignment Diminish pain Protect injury Help compensate for surrounding muscular weakness

  3. Conditions that benefit from Immobilization American Family Physician Vol 79, number 1; January 1 2009

  4. Splinting Vs Casting Assess the stage and severity of injury Potential for instability Risk of complications Patient’s functional requirements Splints for 1. simple and stable fractures, 2. sprains, 3. tendon injuries, 4. other soft tissue injuries Casting for definitive and/or complex fracture management

  5. Splinting custom made or “off-the-shelf” ADVANTAGE • Faster and easier • Static or dynamic • Pressure related complications are less like skin breakdown, necrosis, compartment syndrome • Easy removal DISADVANTAGE • Lack of patient compliance and excessive motion at injury site • Not for unstable or potentially unstable fractures like segmental or spiral or dislocated fractures

  6. Casting ADVANTAGES • Mainstay of Tx for most fractures • More effective immobilization DISADVANTAGES • Require more skills • More time to apply • Higher risk of complications

  7. Complications American Family Physician Vol 79, number 1; January 1 2009

  8. Materials and Equipment American Family Physician Vol 79, number 1; January 1 2009

  9. Procedure Video

  10. Patient instructions Elevate the limb Check circulation Watch for increased swelling Check mobility distally Protect skin from rough edges Keep cast dry Do not remove the cast Do not put anything inside the cast

  11. Return to ER or a physician if… Pain Skin color changes Sensation changes Inability to move fingers Bad odor or staining Too tight or too loose Foreign objects in cast

More Related