Types of Cast and Indications
Cast
- Is a temporary immobilization.
- Types:
- Plaster
- Fiber glass
Function
- To promote healing and early weight bearing.
- To support, maintain and protect realigned bone.
- To prevent or correct deformity
- To immobilize
Cast Application
- Apply the stockinette.
- Apply the wadding sheet.
- Fiber glass or the plaster cast
Contraindications
- Pregnancy
- Skin disease
- Swelling
- Open wound
- Infection
Nursing Interventions
- Handle wet cast with palms of hands, not fingers.
- Cast should be allowed to air dry.
- Elevate the cast on one or two pillows during drying.
- Observe “hot spot” and musty odor, which is signs and symptoms of infection.
- Maintain skin integrity – “petalling”
- Do neurovascular checks such as skin color, skin temperature, sensation, mobility and pulse.
- Assess for vascular occlusion.
- Adhesive tape petals reduce irritation at cast edges.
- Prevent complication of mobility.
Types Of Cast, Molds And Indications
- Airplane cast – for humerus and shoulder joint with compound fracture.
- Basket cast – for severe leg trauma with open wound or inflammation.
- Body cast – for lower dorso-lumbar spine affectation.
- Boot leg cast – for hip and femoral fracture.
- Cast brace – for fracture of femur (distal curve) with flexion and extension.
- Collar cast – for cervical affectation.
- Cylindrical leg cast – for fractured patella.
- Delbit cast – for fracture of tibia or fibula.
- Double hip spica cast – for fracture of hip and femur.
- Double hip spica mold – cervical affectation with callus formation.
- Frog cast – for congenital hip dislocation.
- Functional cast – for fractured humerus with abduction and adduction.
- Hanging cast – for fractured shaft of the humerus.
- Internal rotator splint – for post hip operation.
Long arm circular cast – for fractured radius or ulna
- Long arm posterior mold – for fractured radius or ulna with compound affectation.
- Long leg circular cast – for fractured tibia-fibula.
- Long leg posterior mold – for fracture tibia-fibula with compound affectation.
- Minerva cast – for upper dorsal or cervical affectation.
- Munster cast – for fractured radius or ulna with callus formation.
- Night splint – for post polio.
- Pantalon cast – for pelvic bone fracture
- Patella tendon bearing cast – for fractured tibia-fibula with callus formation.
Quadrilateral (ischial weight bearing) cast – for shaft of femur with callus formation.
- Rizzer’s jacket – for scoliosis
- Short arm circular cast – for wrist and fingers.
- Short arm posterior mold – for wrist and fingers with compound affectation.
- Short leg circular cast – for ankle and foot fracture.
- Short leg posterior mold – for ankle and foot with compound affectation.
- Shoulder spica – for humerus and shoulder joint.
- Single hip spica – for hip and 1 femur.
- Single hip spica mold – for pelvic fracture with callus formation.
- 1 and ½ hip spica – for hip and femur.
- 1 and ½ spica mold – for hip and femur with compound affectation.