HealthWatch: New Cast for Broken Bones
By: Chelly Boutott
Updated: March 8, 2013
HealthWatch (WFRV) Almost seven million of us will be rushed to the E.R. for a broken bone, at some point in our lives. After the painful injury, you can face weeks or even months of wearing a big, itchy and stinky cast, that can't get wet! Now the future of casts has arrived.
From the skate park.
To the playing field.
Many of us will break bones not once, but twice during our lives.
"First time was roller skates, and I just slipped backward, landed under my wrist. Second time was monkey bars," Eric Stuffmann, M.D., Orthopedic Surgeon at
Douglas J Abeles MD and Assocs. in Castro Valley, Cal., told Ivanhoe.
Orthopedic Surgeon Eric Stuffmann is no exception, but he is part of a new solution, using this Exos brace, instead of a cast to help heal broken bones.
"We already have it all molded right now. Okay it's all nice and warm, right now, so we can go ahead and fit it and mold it to your hands," said Dr. Stuffmann
Manali Shah broke her wrist snowboarding.
"I was coming down hill and took an edge wrong and landed backwards on the backside of my hand" Manali Shah (Fitted for New Cast), told Ivanhoe.
From the downhill to the doctor's office, she's one of the first to get the customized cast. It's made out of three layers of high tech polymers and foam that create a lightweight, adjustable, extremely strong brace.
"The way this works, now that we have this all molded, is hum, with this pushed in, okay, click, and we're just gonna tighten this," explained Dr. Stuffmann.
Unlike traditional plaster and fiberglass casts, this one can be removed daily.
"There's still one benefit and that's the Exos is waterproof," stated Dr. Stuffmann.
Manali had a traditional cast first, then changed to this one.
"It was great, because I could finally take it off to get a shower, I didn't have to put a bag over my hand; and it just breathes really well," said Shah.
Now, she's looking forward to tackling the mountain once again.
"Just to make it down a blue without falling...hahaha," said Shah.
Doctor Stuffmann says, he uses the new cast for most breaks, the only time he doesn't use it is when he thinks the patient will not keep it on long enough during the day. The new casts are being used more and more throughout the country. They cost the same as traditional casts. Most of the time, your insurance will cover it.
