4. Definition
• “Being Bed ridden is a form of immobility to move or
even sit upright.”
• “Forced to stay in bed by sickness or weakness”
• It’s commonly seen after fracture of lower limbs like
Femur, Tibia fracture, Pelvic fracture etc.
• It’s also seen in chronic disease and in
unconsciousness.
5. (1) Plaster Cast
• A solid mould of a part, usually applied in sites for
immobilization as in fractures, dislocations and other
severe injuries.
• Plaster cast is defined as “Supported devices used to
encase an injured part in order to protect, support
and immobilize during healing process and to
prevent any deformity.”
• Two types of materials are used in casting,
o (a) Fiberglass
o (b) Supportive cast
6. (i) Fiberglass
• Fiber glass has the advantage of being lighter, longer
wearing than plaster.
• Fiberglass is more suitable to clients, because
supportive cast are hard.
• Fiberglass is dry faster.
• Fiberglass is also easier for x rays to penetrate.
7. (ii) Plaster Cast
• Plaster cast is less expensive and easier to mold or
shape.
• A plaster cast will harden in 15 to 30 minutes but takes
24 to 48 hours to dry completely.
• A fiberglass is dry slower, 20 to 30 minutes, but the force
of the client’s full body on cast, may crack in the first 24
hours.
• In cast using Plaster of Paris (POP)
8. Purposes of Cast
• To maintain Fracture alignment
• To immobilize a body part
• To promote a healing after a joint fusion
• To prevent deformities
• To aid in non surgical correction of deformities
• To rest & protect a diseased/injured bone
9. Types of Cast
• (A) Upper extremity casts:
• Long Arm Cast
• Finger/Thumb spica
• Short arm cast
• (B) Lower Extremity Casts:
• Long Leg cast
• Short leg cast
• Cylinder cast
• Body cast
• Spica cast
10. (A) Upper Extremity cast
(i) Long Arm Cast
• (i) Long Arm Cast: in this cast encase the arm, the
fingers and thumbs are free.
11. Cont…
• (ii) Finger/Thumb Spica: injury to one or more fingers
or thumb. Currently finger and thumb splint used
commonly.
• (iii) Short Arm cast: Cast in just below the elbow.
12. (B) Lower Extremity Cast
• (i) Long leg Cast: A cast encasing both foot and the hip
is called long leg cast.
13. Cont…
• (ii) Short leg Cast: covering only foot and lower leg.
• This is a common Rx of broken foot, metatarsal fracture.
• (iii) Cylinder Cast: Cast in upper and lower leg and the
knee, leaving a foot and ankle free.
14. Cont…
• (iv) Body cast: cover the trunk of the body and more
other limbs which are fractured or dislocate. Given in
multi trauma clients.
17. Removal of Cast
• It is the removal of the cast and padding with a
mechanical device such as cast saw.
• Assess the condition of the area that was casted like
movement, sensation and skin integrity
18. (2) Traction
• Traction is a process whereby a force is exerted on a
parts of the body as a method of treatment.
• Traction is the use pf pulling force to treat muscle and
skeletal disorder.
• When traction is applied to a limb, the necessary counter
traction which is force exerted in opposite direction of the
traction, traction should be maintained.
• Usually applied to the arms, legs, neck, pelvis etc.
• It is used to treat fractures, dislocation and
prevent/correct deformity.
19. Purposes of Traction
• To relieve pain or muscle spasm
• To restore and maintained correct anatomical alignment
of a limb/bone
• To reduce dislocation of joints
• To correct deformity
• To immobilized fracture limb
21. (1) Skin Traction
• Skin traction is non invasive procedure, usually
performed in the hospital bed.
• Uses five to 2.5 to 5 Kg of weight attached to skin.
• Indirectly apply the necessary pulling force on the bone.
The amount of weight is using limited because excessive
weight will irritate the skin.
26. Spinal Traction
• When the part of the body needing traction is positioned
so that skin traction is impossible, there s
27. (2) Skeletal Traction
• When the part of the body needing traction is positioned
so that skin traction is impossible, there Skeletal traction
is given
• Skeletal traction uses weights of 12 to 25 Kg.
• Requires the placement of tongs, pins/screws into bone
so that the weight is applied direct to the bone.
• Correct placement of pins are essential for success of
the traction
• Pins/wires are kept in several months so it must be kept
clean to prevent infection.
28.
29. Assessment &
Management
• Vital signs every $ hourly
• Skin integrity
• P’s: Pressure: Pallor, Pulselessness, Paresthesia and
DVT( Deep vein Thrombosis)
• Assess Bowel & Urinary elimination patterns.
• Maintain Pt’s Nutrition & Hydration.
• Educate the client and their relatives about traction, pin,
screw etc.
30. 1. PEE VEE ; ‘‘ FUNDAMENTALS OF NURSING’’
SECOND EDITION;PUBLISHED BY JAYPEE BROTHERS
MEDICAL PUBLISHERS (P) LIMITED;NEW DELHI;
P NO.-217 to 226.
2. LOTUS PUBLISHERS; ‘‘A TEXT BOOK OF NURSING
FOUNDATIONS’’2ND EDITION;EDITED
BY CELESTINA FRANCIS & KRITIKA
;P.NO. 358 to 363.
3. WEBPAGE; WWW.WIKIPEDIA.COM: THE TOPIC OF “NURSING
CARE FOR CAST AND TRACTION” BY DR GURU RAJ.
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