subject: Waterproof Cast: You Are Able To Now Enjoy The Water Even Should You Have A Cast! [print this page] Casts have been used for thousands of years to protect broken bones. The ancient Indians and Egyptians used wooden splits to treat fractures. The invention of the modern Plaster of Paris cast can be attributed to two military surgeons, Antonius Mathijsen and Nikolai Pirogov. Dr. Pirogov was the first person to utilize Plaster of Paris casts on a big scale during the Crimean War in the 1850s. Since then, Plaster of Paris has been the material of choice for making casts.
Although Plaster of Paris casts are a inexpensive and effective method to treat bone fractures, they've particular irritants. They are really difficult and bulky; which can be a problem for some, particularly for kids. Even limited contact with water can ruin them totally. Because they've to become left on for weeks if not months at a time, bathing and other daily activities turn out to be very inconvenient, even a change in weather can completely ruin a standard Plaster cast. Moreover, these casts are known to cause skin irritation, itching, rashes as well as bacterial infections.
Because of the above pointed out difficulties, medical researchers have experimented with numerous various materials that eventually ended up producing them water resistant. Since the late 1970s, fiberglass has become increasingly well-known as a substitute for Plaster of Paris. Fiberglass is really a synthetic material that is made from moldable plastic reinforced by very fine glass fibers. Fiberglass casts contains a polyurethane resin which is incorporated into the bandage. The main benefits of fiberglass casts over plaster casts are detailed below:
1. Unlike plaster casts, fiberglass casts are largely water-proof, though the insides need to be protected from water. This minor problem is effectively solved by utilizing water resistant cast liners.
2. They're substantially lighter than plaster casts and come in numerous attractive colors making them much more appealing to children.
3. In contrast to plaster casts, which literally have to be cut open with sharp instruments, removing fiberglass casts is very easy and convenient.
4. The above mentioned skin difficulties are virtually absent in modern fiberglass casts as the polyurethane resin allows regular air circulation inside the cast keeping the skin healthy.
With the introduction of waterproof cast liners in the late 1980s, fiberglass models have become totally waterproof. It's now feasible to utilize a water resistant cast to take a bath, appreciate the rains as well as take a swim. They are very inexpensive and effortlessly available. Thanks towards the substantial advantages over conventional plaster casts, their usage is set to improve exponentially in the coming years.
