Cast Care

Cast Care

Casts are still a tried and true method for the treatment of broken bones as well as many other injuries. They are used frequently after reconstructive surgery. Simple cast care instructions are important to prevent problems. These are only guidelines and any questions should be directed to your physician.

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Swelling

During the first 24-48 hours you may experience some swelling.

Contact your physician immediately if:

• You have increased pain or swelling.
• You have numbness or tingling in you hand.
• There is bleeding or drainage from the cast.
• You have fever or chills.
• You lose of active motion of your fingers.

Contact your physician if:

• You experience any skin irritation related to the cast.
• There is damage to the cast.
• The cast feels loose.
• You experience burning or stinging.

Caring for your cast

• Keep clean and dry
  • Use a plastic cover for the cast, big plastic baggies (from newspaper, bread, trash etc) with large rubber band (#32, from office supply store)
  • Commercially available watertight protectors are available from surgical supply stores or mail order, or online order (Medcare 1-888-379-2278 approximately $25 including delivery). These come in sizes adult hand, adult short arm (below elbow) and long arm (above elbow).
• If the cast padding gets damp try a hairdryer on cold/no heat, if unrelieved notify your doctor.
• Never place anything inside your cast, such as a hanger or ruler to scratch an itch.
• Small amounts of Gold Bond powder can be used for itching if there are no open wounds or exposed pins.
• Inspect the skin around the edges of your cast. If the skin becomes red or raw around the cast notify your doctor.
• Do not alter your cast.

Cast removal

• Never remove the cast yourself.
• The cast will be removed with a vibrating saw. The saw blade does not rotate.
• The cast padding helps protect you.
• You may feel the vibration.
• Cast saws make a lot of noise and may feel "hot" from friction but will not harm you. (Its bark is worse than its bite)

Driving

• We do not determine if you can drive
• You should not drive for 24 hours after anesthesia which includes any sedation
• You should not drive when taking narcotic medications or judgement impairing medications
• We will tell you if we feel driving will injure your affected hand
• You must be able to safely control the vehicle before you can drive
• You can check with your insurance company or the police if you have questions regarding driving with a splint or cast
• Occasionally a return-to-driving program or reevaluation by a driving school with dual controls can be helpful

Waterproof Cast Padding

Waterproof cast padding (It allows you to get your cast wet) may be an option for some casts. It cannot be used if there is an open wound or pins in place. Your insurance company will not cover the cost of the waterproof padding and a nominal charge will be assessed. The options for the padding include Delta-Dry (care of Delta-Dry)