learning zone - Orthopaedic plaster casting: nurse and patient education

Orthopaedic casts are used to treat fractures, provide pain relief and support, and correct deformities (RCN 2000, Larsen 2002, Dandy and Edwards 2003, Nielsen and Ricketts 2005). Several different types of material are available for orthopaedic casts, including plaster of Paris, semi-rigid non-fibreglass (softcast), and a variety of resin-based synthetic materials such as rigid fibreglass. Plaster of Paris is commonly used post-surgery because of the increased swelling associated with fractures (Dandy and Edwards 2003, Smith et al 2005). However, softcast has the ability to accommodate high volumes of fluid compared with plaster of Paris or rigid fibreglass (Deshpande 2005). Instead of a full plaster of Paris cast, a plaster of Paris backslab is often used in the early stages following injury. A plaster of Paris backslab consists of a slab of plaster that does not completely surround the limb, although it protects the injured area and allows the limb to swell.