Even in ancient times, people knew that a broken arm or leg could only recover if it was given complete rest. Splints, immobilizing dressings and plaster have always been used for immobilization. Their timely imposition largely determines the success of treatment. Modern medicine does not stand still, so more and more new methods and technologies appear in the field of orthopedics. For example, gypsum, being one of the oldest materials used in practice, received a new plastic configuration. It copes with the tasks set perfectly, while devoid of a number of shortcomings that could not be got rid of before.
A unique innovation in traumatology
Who has ever broken an arm or leg knows what inconvenience the old massive cast caused. With him, a person was completely deprived of the opportunity to enjoy life. You couldn't even take a bath. And such torment had to endure, depending on the severity of the injury, from several months to a year. This state of affairs has led to the fact that gypsum-containing materials began to become obsolete. Synthetic polymer bandages are already replacing them today. Plastic plaster for fractures relieves the patient of feelings of inferiority. The patient feels it as a simple bandage, providing the necessary position for the bone to heal.
Types of plastic plaster
Synthetic polymer bandages come in several types: scotchcast, softcast, NM-cast, turbocast. Each of them has its own scope, as well as advantages and disadvantages.
Scotchcast has the best weight characteristics. Plastic gypsum on the leg from such a material will practically not be felt. An important quality is that it provides air access to the limb. In order to apply gypsum from adhesive tape, no sophisticated equipment is required. The material does not even shrink when it hardens. It will especially appeal to those who like to paint and “tune” their gypsum, as it is available in various colors.
The disadvantages of scotchcast include the fact that it can only be used in conjunction with a special rag-cotton stocking. This means, in turn, that it is undesirable to wet it, since the cotton wool will dry for a very long time, which will lead to an unpleasant odor and diaper rash. In addition, such gypsum can be removed only with the help of a speci altool.
Softcast acts as a kind of addition to scotchcast. This is an elastic material used more often for dislocations and in the postoperative period. It is convenient in that when edema appears, it can stretch and take on new forms. In case of fractures, they are wrapped in a plastic plaster made of adhesive tape.
NM-cast is a synthetic mesh with large cells. It is very lightweight and can be put on and taken off. It is better to carry out all manipulations with it in rubber gloves, since when it dries, it sticks very strongly to the skin. It is also possible to use NM-cast only with a special synthetic stocking. Most often it is used as a plastic plaster on the hand.
Turbocast is gradually becoming the most common material used in traumatology. This material has impressive strength. When heated above 40 degrees, it becomes plastic, which allows you to apply it directly to the damaged surface without unnecessary difficulties. The lack of a cotton stocking means that you can safely take a bath in it. Another amazing feature that this plastic cast has is that it has a working memory. This allows the material to return to its original shape when reheated, allowing the Turbocast to be used over and over again.
Advantages of plastic plaster
In order to understand whether it is worth using plastic gypsum, it is necessary to conduct a comparative characteristic and summarize all its advantages. chiefThe achievement of synthetic polymeric materials is that they simultaneously possess such properties as lightness and strength. The Turbocast, for example, outperforms the traditional plaster cuff in both of these ways.
Everyone who has ever broken a leg should remember the appearance of an unpleasant itch under a thick white crust, under which you can’t climb in any way. Plastic medical gypsum is devoid of this disadvantage, as it has a porous structure and freely passes air.
Before, with a broken leg, it was very difficult to go for a walk in the cold season. A lot of socks were put on the cast, but this did not help much. Plastic plaster, the photo of which is presented below, allows you to wear shoes with great comfort and feel like a full-fledged person.
In the good old days, after the bone healed, the patient had to undergo an unpleasant procedure to remove the cuff. Gypsum for a long time practically grew together with the skin, and therefore it was not an easy task to remove it. Synthetic materials have a smooth texture of the outer layer, and therefore the plaster made from them is easily removed.
Disadvantages of plastic plaster
With so many advantages, it seems like there shouldn't be any disadvantages at all. To some extent this is true, but it is still necessary to note the high cost of the procedure. In addition, not every clinic practices such methods of treatment.
Plastic cast
Depending on what materialgypsum is made, it can be applied in different ways. If it is a scotchcast, softcast or HM-cast, then special stockings are required to use them, serving as a layer between the skin and the outer corset.
Turbocast is an unlined version of plastic plaster. Today it is gaining more and more popularity. This is largely due to the ease of its application. All that is required for this is to heat it up to a temperature of 60 degrees so that it becomes plastic, then let it cool to 35-40 degrees and apply it to the damaged surface. This technology allows you to achieve full compliance with the contours of the plaster and the surface of the body.
Removal of plastic plaster
At home, removing plastic plaster is unlikely to succeed. Such manipulations can only be carried out with softcast. As for all other synthetic materials, they are removed using a special tool called tibiofibular syndesmosis. Outwardly, he is very similar to a grinder, which causes panic in patients. There is really nothing terrible - the working surface of the tool does not rotate, but only vibrates slightly, so it cannot harm.
Price of plastic plaster
If we compare prices for gypsum-containing and synthetic materials, then the first ones will, of course, win. An ordinary cuff can be applied at any clinic absolutely free of charge, while you will have to pay for new technologies. The prices for turboplastic plastering services are as follows: 11,000 rubles per leg and 9,000 perhand.
Conclusions
In conclusion, it should be noted that the use of synthetic materials in traumatology avoids complications in 90% of cases. This technology is the future, but at the moment it is not widely used due to its novelty, as well as the high price of plastic plaster services.
At the same time, patients who have tried this technique unanimously declare that it is very convenient. Ceteris paribus, ordinary gypsum does not stand up to any competition.
