Plastic plaster versus regular plaster – innovations in traumatology

Author

Tsvetkova Natalya Yurievna

Leading doctor

Traumatologist-orthopedist

until January 31

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The quality of fracture treatment largely depends on the effectiveness of the immobilization agents used (ensuring the immobility of bones in the fracture area). The use of polymer (plastic) orthoses (for example, the Turbocast line) opens up new opportunities in the treatment of fractures.

How are they applied?

The procedure is performed by a traumatologist and does not take much time. Usually it only takes 20-30 minutes. Moreover, the manipulations are painless for the patient and are easily tolerated even by children and the elderly. During the healing process, you will also not have to deal with unpleasant sensations, since the bandage will be formed exactly to the size of the injured area.

The application of plastic plaster is carried out in stages:

1. First, the doctor puts on gloves and opens the lined package. It can be stocking or made in the form of ordinary cotton wool. The stocking lining is applied to the injured area to determine the required size and is immediately trimmed. The cotton wool is applied by bandaging (wrapped around the damaged area)
2. In a pre-prepared container with warm (20-25 degrees) water, the bandage is moistened. The roll is completely immersed in water and compressed 2-3 times to absorb a sufficient amount of liquid
3. The plaster is wrapped around the damaged area in a spiral motion. In this case, each subsequent layer (winding spiral) overlaps the previous one by approximately half the width. This allows for tight and reliable fixation of the damaged area.
4. After this, the plastic plaster shrinks. Within 3-5 minutes it can be modeled to achieve maximum comfort for further wearing. It takes about 20 minutes for the material to completely harden. The exact time depends on the humidity and temperature in the room, as well as on the type of winding

Modern plaster cast

In modern traumatology, the traditional plaster cast fades into the background and a polymer plaster cast, called adhesive cast, is more often used. It is simply impossible to take a bath when an ordinary cast is applied, since the bandage will fall apart. Plastic plaster used as fixation is convenient to use, it becomes possible to perform more actions, and the fracture site remains securely fixed.

A polymer dressing has many qualities, however, it is necessary to choose the most suitable option. To do this, you need to understand the types of materials for fixation.

Pros and cons of plastic plaster

The advantages of using modern material include:

1. Possibility to ensure sufficient air exchange around the injured area. This is very important when recovering from fractures. The skin will not lack oxygen and nutrients
2. Optimal fit. Thanks to this quality, good fixation of bones and joints is ensured, as well as rapid recovery of the damaged area.
3. Reduced risk of developing serious swelling. Compression by a plaster cast often causes tissue swelling
4. Maintaining mobility of the damaged area. This is also important for a speedy recovery. If necessary, the patient can even perform some household chores and standard hygiene procedures independently. The bandage will protect against excess load, but at the same time maintain full mobility and functionality of the damaged area.
5. Resistance to moisture. The bandage is made of low-temperature plastic and is not afraid of water. Thanks to this, you can take a shower, bath, and even swim in the pool.
6. Light weight. Modern plaster is not only practically invisible to others, since it does not require additional support (it can be hidden under clothing), but also does not cause significant discomfort and tension in the muscles and other structures of the body
7. Versatility. Products can be applied to arms and legs, other damaged areas

The disadvantages include the high cost of the products, as well as the need for replacement when squeezing or rubbing. Simply tightening the bandage will not work. In addition, we have already noted some limitations in the scope of application of such products.

What types of artificial plaster are there?

There are several types of polymer gypsum. The most famous are scotchcast, softcast and turbocast.

Scotchcast is a polymer plaster, strong and rigid, due to which it reliably immobilizes the fracture. The lightest of all artificial bandages. A special lining stocking is worn under it so as not to injure the skin. Scotchcast comes in different colors, which will appeal to children and lovers of bright colors.

Softcast allows you to create bandages of varying stiffness. After hardening, the material remains semi-rigid, which allows you to maintain muscle mobility in the damaged area. At the same time, the material is flexible, but not stretchable, which helps maintain its original shape. It is used not only for fractures, but also for sprained limbs.

Turbocast is the most famous polymer gypsum made of thermoplastic. It makes it possible to give the bandage any shape, which makes it indispensable for the most complex fractures, including in children and adolescents. The special design allows the patient to independently remove and put on the bandage (with the doctor’s permission).

Advantages of contacting MEDSI

• Use of modern immobilization techniques.
  They allow you to shorten the rehabilitation period and quickly restore the patient to full activity. The bandages are lightweight but provide a secure hold. They are easy to apply and remove. You can take water procedures with them. Wearing the products does not cause significant discomfort and does not cause itching or irritation.
• Experienced doctors.
  Our specialists offer suitable braces for various injuries of the limbs and other areas. In this case, traumatologists take into account the severity of the injury and other factors.
• Opportunities to receive the necessary assistance as soon as possible
• Possibility of pre-registration.
  You can visit a traumatologist for consultation or treatment at a convenient time
• Convenient location of MEDSI clinics near the metro station
• No queues

To clarify the conditions for applying plastic plaster, its cost or other features, or to make an appointment, just call +7 (495) 7-800-500. Our specialist will answer all questions. Recording is also possible through the SmartMed application.

Lack of gypsum

Although plaster is a cheap material, after the bandage is applied, the person is “rewarded” with a lot of inconvenience. Anyone who has used a similar treatment method knows about them:

• inconvenience in operation;
• Do not wet the plaster;
• the bandage becomes dirty very quickly;
• Externally, gypsum is not very attractive.

It is also problematic to take a control shot through a traditional cast. The material does not transmit x-rays well, making it difficult to control fracture healing. In cases where a polymer bandage is applied for fractures, the image is clearer.

Surgery as an alternative to plaster

A good substitute for plaster, which has been used recently, is increasingly surgery. The indications for it are quite broad, however, first of all, it is the presence of displacement of fragments and the risk of developing disability. The most innovative option is osteosynthesis, in which normal bone anatomy is restored, followed by fixation with special implants. These can be knitting needles, pins, plates, screws, which can remain in the human body for life.

However, recently a technique for implanting biodegradable fixatives has been developed. These devices have a unique property: after a few years they completely dissolve. For their production, modern materials are used that do not harm a person, but, on the contrary, accelerate the healing process.

After making a diagnosis, the doctor himself decides how to implement immobilization with maximum benefit for the victim, taking into account his opinion. The benefits of modern dressings have been proven and there is a wide choice of them. Provided you have skills in application and the material itself, it is better to use polymer fixatives, which are more practical and durable compared to traditional plaster.

Benefits of alternative plaster casts

Without a doubt, the traditional plaster cast has many disadvantages compared to polymers, which are lightweight and durable. With traditionally applied immobilization, a person is often bothered by itching; the turbocast bandage allows a person to quickly get rid of it. Also, the strength of the fixative is twice that of gypsum. If your leg or arm itches, you can satisfy the need only when the fracture is without displacement and without the risk of its development.

If the fastener becomes dirty, you can simply paint it on; there is no need to be afraid of its possible destruction. Over time, polymer materials do not lose their strength and do not become loose. A person is able to perform daily activities without the risk of displacement of fragments. If an orthosis is applied, it can be removed at any convenient time and put back on. In some orthoses, a person can move around despite an injury.

How are polymer bandages fixed?

The method of fixing the plastic retainer depends on what material the patient is using.

If he uses softcast, scotchcast, or primacast, then the patient should first put a special stocking on his hand. It will serve as a kind of layer between the skin and the medical device.

If the patient uses a turbocast, then he does not need to put any additional devices on his arm. But before applying it to the hand, the patient will have to undergo several temperature procedures.

Primcast

This holding device is made from a unique medical material. This material is polyester fiber.

This removable device is hypoallergenic and has the following properties.

It has:

• two levels of hardness. The type of stiffness is determined by the orthopedist when applying a fixing bandage;
• high level of gas exchange. This is achieved due to the mesh structure;
• special recesses made for a “muscle pump”. This prevents the appearance of swelling in the problem area;
• contains materials that almost never cause allergies in the patient.

But such a clamp also has disadvantages. The main disadvantage is that it is very expensive.

Short and functional

Functional treatment of fractures with a shortened plaster cast is an original method that has been used for two decades. But it requires certain qualifications from the doctor, so it is usually not used in clinics and emergency rooms. You can undergo this treatment mainly in traumatology departments in large clinics and institutes. It is most often used for fractures of the ankle or ankle. The technique is quite effective in difficult cases: for open injuries or displaced fractures, it is used immediately after surgery.

The bandage in this case can be made of either ordinary plaster or plastic. But they apply it in a special way.

Traditionally, traumatologists try to fix the damaged area as firmly as possible. For example, when a tibia is fractured, a bandage is often applied from the knee to the toes. In functional treatment, the doctor acts differently: a very small area directly above the fracture is placed in the cast. The nearby joints remain free.

Article on the topic

Doctors have learned to treat fractures without plaster

A short bandage gives the doctor the opportunity to control the condition of the bones and surrounding soft tissue. If complications are suspected, it will be easier for a specialist to intervene, because a short cast is easier to remove and change.

But the main advantage of the method is that with such a bandage a person has the opportunity to move. Already on the second day after applying the plaster, the patient is asked to walk along the hospital corridor, fully stepping on his recently broken leg. And after a while they even put you on an exercise bike. Impossible? Not at all, it’s real – and even necessary. The bandage is applied so that the bones are held in the correct position under the load of walking. This reduces the risk of their displacement or improper healing of the fracture.

There is one more important point. The muscles and blood vessels on the moving leg work almost at full strength, so complications such as swelling or lameness do not occur.

Stepping on a cast leg is unpleasant in the first days. However, the pain is absolutely not comparable to what a person experiences during a fracture. The main thing is to overcome fear and literally take the first step towards recovery.

After about a week, most people can do light household chores and, if desired, even go to work. It will be possible to remove the short cast in 2-3 months - unfortunately, it is not yet possible to heal the bones faster. But all this time the person remains active. The only thing that reminds him of the problem is the need to visit a doctor. This should be done several times a month in order to control the situation.

Plastic plaster application

If a patient with a fracture of the ankle or ankle wants to apply a plastic cast to himself, then before applying it, he is recommended to consult a doctor.

Better yet, if a patient with an injury goes to the emergency room, an x-ray is taken. This study will help determine the location of the injury and the best way to fix the broken bones.

Typically, only a doctor will apply the plastic retainer. Moreover, he must not only correctly apply plastic plaster to the joint, but also correctly position the patient’s fingers. This way the healing process of the ankle and the limb in general will go faster.

And the method of applying modern plaster also depends on what kind of fixation device the patient uses and where he will fix it: on the arm or on the leg.

If a fixing device made of softcast, adhesive tape, or primecast is used, then before applying the polymer bandages for plaster must be soaked, and only then they are applied to the damaged area.

Turbocast fasteners soften not in water, but at very high temperatures.

Usually the material needs to be heated to 60 degrees. And then they are cooled to 40 degrees. This clamp is very elastic and can be easily fixed on the injured limb. Moreover, such a retainer can very easily change its shape and is modeled exactly like a broken limb.

Applying and removing bandages

Depending on the material chosen, the technique of applying the bandage also varies. Before applying adhesive cast, NM-cast, softcast, it is necessary to make a protective layer or a special layer of fabric in the form of a stocking or cotton wool. There is no need to apply a gasket before applying the turbocast; this is the difference from all other materials. This material can also be reused many times.

To apply adhesive tape, it is necessary, in addition to fabric protection, to take some precautions. The bandage is applied only with gloves on the hands. After removing the roll, place it in warm water, squeeze it out a little and roll it out at the site of damage in the required shape. While the material is not dry, it is very elastic, after drying it acquires strength. 4-5 layers are enough to achieve the required strength; each layer is smoothed by the hand of a plaster technician until it dries.

Removing this material is very difficult and difficult; for this you can use special pliers or saws. The latter can be manual or mechanical and require great care, as they can damage the skin.

Turbocast is much easier to apply; you just need to follow a few simple steps. To begin with, the material is heated to sixty degrees so that it acquires the necessary plasticity. Then you need to wait until the temperature drops to forty, maximum thirty-five degrees. Then elastic plaster for fractures is applied to the site of injury.

This technology allows you to achieve precise repetition of the slightest contours of the body. Such a fixator allows the patient to feel as comfortable as possible and ensure complete fixation of the damaged segment.

Removal or replacement of plaster in case of a broken arm or leg should only be done in a hospital using a special tool. At home, you can remove the sofcast or orthosis, which has special Velcro.