
The use of Plaster of Paris to cover walls is evident, but it seems it was never used for bandages. They also used stiff bandages for support that were probably derived from embalming techniques.

The Ancient Egyptians used wooden splints made of bark wrapped in linen. These are rigid strips laid parallel to each other alongside the bone. The earliest methods of holding a reduced fracture involved using splints. Hippocrates: a conventionalized image in a Roman "portrait" bust (19th century engraving) Plaster casts are generally made available only to patients who insist on them, because they take more time to apply, or when the cost of the fiberglass material is a consideration. In addition, plaster is much smoother and does not snag clothing or abrade the skin. However, plaster can be more easily moulded to make a snug and therefore more comfortable fit. These are lighter and dry much faster than plaster bandages. These consist of a knitted fiberglass bandage impregnated with polyurethane. Nowadays fiberglass bandages are often used. The setting of unmodified plaster starts about 10 minutes after mixing and is complete in about 45 minutes, the cast is not fully dry though for 72 hours. When water is added, the more soluble form of calcium sulphate returns to the relatively insoluble form, and heat is produced.Ģ(CaSO 4.½ H 2O) + 3H 2O → 2(CaSO 4.2H 2O) + Heat Plaster of Paris is calcined Gypsum, ground to a fine powder by milling.

Plaster bandages consist of a cotton bandage that has been impregnated with plaster of paris, which hardens after it has been made wet. Synonyms and keywords: Body cast, plaster cast, surgical castĪn orthopedic cast is a shell, frequently made from plaster, encasing a limb (or, in some cases, large portions of the body) to hold a broken bone (or bones) in place until it has healed.

Perforated body casts reduced removal time to 15 seconds without weakening of the cast and provide lifesaving time to perform effective CPR.Editor-In-Chief: C. No failure was observed in casts with perforations 1 inch (25 mm) apart worn for 12 weeks. Casts with and without holes could support chest forces of up to 330 pounds. Engineering studies of perforated casts showed no significant decrease in strength. Forty casts, perforated at 1-inch (25 mm) intervals, were observed for failure after 12 weeks of wear.Ĭhest exposure time of a mold encased in a fiberglass cast was reduced from 1 minute to 15 seconds plaster cast removal was reduced from 3 minutes to 1 minute. Loading data of cast shells were compared to determine if holes as close as 1/2" (12 mm) significantly weakened the cast. Body casts with 1" (25 mm)-interval holes worn by 40 patients were examined after 12 weeks for evidence of failure.Ĭhest piece removal times of body cast shells with and without holes were compared. Engineering studies were performed on two cast shells with and without 12-mm-wide holes up to 1/2" (12 mm) apart, loading the fiberglass to the point of failure and recording the data. Using a cast saw, the chest piece of each body cast was removed and the time recorded. University hospital castroom, mechanical engineering laboratory.īody casts mounted on a life-sized torso mold were perforated at 2-inch (50 mm), 1-inch (25 mm), or 1/2 inch (12 mm) intervals around the chest with a 12-mm-diameter vibrating drill.

#Full body cast hospital trial#
Single trial timed cast cutting, multiple trial cast shell loading, and clinical observations of perforated casts for cracking or breakage. To describe a body cast modification that allows rapid chest exposure for cardiopulmonary resuscitation and alert the medical community to the 3% to 5% incidence of cardiopulmonary arrest in the hospital while wearing such a cast.
