One of the prime concerns when managing patients in plaster casts is loss of reduction. There have been studies showing that proper moulding of the plaster cast is critical in maintaining reduction. Recent studies have negated concerns that fibreglass (FG) casts do not allow swelling, when compared to plaster of Paris (POP) casts. However, their potential in maintenance of reduction has not been investigated. We compared the three-point bending properties of FG casts with POP casts over the first 48 hours. The effect of splitting the casts, at one hour and 24 hours, was studied. Three identical jigs with hinged metal rods were designed to simulate a Colles fracture. The bending force was provided by 0.5 kg weight applied at one end of the jig. The resultant displacement was measured to nearest 0.01 mm over the next 48 hours. Each test was repeated 6 times (total 6 groups and 36 tests).Background
Materials and methods
