TOPIC

PLASTER OF PARIS

PREPARED BY
AMANULLAH
DPT (BATCH-I)
 PLASTER OF PARIS

 a gypsum material that hardens when
mixed with water, used for immobilizing or
making impressions of body parts.

 a white powdery slightly hydrated calcium sulfate

(CaSO4·1⁄2H2O or 2CaSO4·H2O) made by calcining
gypsum and used chiefly for casts
 Cast types

Upper extremity cast

 An arm cast
 Upper extremity casts are those which encase the
arm, wrist, and/or hand.
Lower extremity casts

 Lower extremity casts are classified similarly, with

a cast encasing both the foot and the leg to the hip
being called a long leg cast.

 while a cast encasing the patient's foot, ankle and

lower leg ending below the knee is referred to as a
short leg cast.
short leg cast long leg cast.
Cylinder cast

 In some cases, a cast may include the upper and

lower arm and the elbow, but leave the wrist and
hand free, or the upper and lower leg and the knee,
leaving the foot and ankle free.

 Such a cast may be called a cylinder cast, or may

simply be called a long arm or long leg cast.
Body casts
 Body casts, which cover the trunk of the body, and
in some cases the neck up to or including the head
(see Minerva Cast,)
 most commonly used in the cases of small children,
who cannot be trusted to comply with a back brace,
or in cases of radical surgery to repair an injury or
other defect.
 A body cast which encases the trunk (with "straps"
over the shoulders) is usually referred to as a body
jacket.
EDF cast

 An EDF (elongation, derotation, flexion) cast is

used for the treatment of Infantile Idiopathic
scoliosis. 

 Scoliosis is a 3-dimensional problem that should be

corrected on all 3 planes. The EDF casting method
has the ability to elongate the spine through
traction, derotate the spine/pelvis, and to improve
lordosis and over all body shape/alignment.
Spica cast

 A cast which includes the trunk of the body and

one or more limbs is called a spica cast, just as a
cast which includes the "trunk" of the arm and one
or more fingers or the thumb is.

 For example, a shoulder spica includes the trunk of

the body and one arm, usually to the wrist or hand. 
 INDICATIONS

 Spasticity
 Soft tissue contracture
 Pathological reflexes
 CONTRAINDICATIONS

 Skeletal muscle rigidity

 Open wounds or skin graft
 Edema
 Subluxation of carpal bones
 Impaired circulation
 Severe plasticity
 Sensory problems
 Unstable fractures
 Unstable intracranial pressure
 Application Techniques

 Informed and instructed

 Well preparation
 A circular cast should not be used in fresh trauma
or post-op patient
 Clean, pad and protect bony prominence
 Application Techniques

Overlapping 1/2 ~ 2/3 width 2 ~ 3 layers

 All plaster bandage should be dipped and removed
from water at the same time
 Water:
 Cool water for large cast
 Warm water for small cast
 Never use hot water
 Cast for Adult:

 Plaster bandage:
 Upper extremity: 4 ~ 6 layers
 Lower extremity: 5 ~ 7 layers
 Fiberglass cast: 2 ~ 3 layers
Application Techniques -Cast
 Turn the padding back at the edges
 Apply all material rapidly
 Once the crystallization begins  molding and all
motion should stop
 Trim the edge
 Instructions for Patients in Plaster
 Circulation:
 If fingers or toes become swollen, blue, painful
or stiff  Raise limb
 If no improvement in half an hour  return to
hospital immediately
 Exercise:
 Exercise all joints not included in plaster,
especially fingers and toes
 Isometric exercise in plaster
 If plaster becomes loose or cracked  return
to hospital
 Cast Removal

Cast saws have a sharp, small-toothed blade that

rapidly vibrates back and forth; it does not spin around
like a circular saw.
 Against the firm surface of the plaster or
fiberglass, the cast saw will cut through the material.
However, against your skin, the cast saw simply moves
the skin back and forth with the vibration, not cutting
into the skin.