Removal of a Below Knee Plaster Cast Worn for 28 Months
Removal of a Below Knee Plaster Cast Worn for 28 Months
Introduction: An unusual situation in which a below knee cast was removed after 28 months is reported. To the best of our knowledge no similar cases have been reported in the literature.
Case presentation: The cast was removed from the leg of a 45-year-old Caucasian woman. Significant muscle atrophy and dense skin scales were present but the underlying skin surface was relatively healthy with only small pitted 1–2 mm ulcers. No pathogenic organisms were cultured from this environment.
Conclusion: It seems likely that skin can tolerate cast immobilization for prolonged duration.
Extremity casts are frequently applied for routine immobilization for many acute fractures. The period of immobilization varies according to the patient and the fracture. For example, a non-operatively treated tibial fracture is rarely immobilized for longer than six months. Total contact casting has been used in the treatment of Charcot's neuropathy for periods of up to one year. We report a case of a below knee cast removal after 28 months.
Abstract and Introduction
Abstract
Introduction: An unusual situation in which a below knee cast was removed after 28 months is reported. To the best of our knowledge no similar cases have been reported in the literature.
Case presentation: The cast was removed from the leg of a 45-year-old Caucasian woman. Significant muscle atrophy and dense skin scales were present but the underlying skin surface was relatively healthy with only small pitted 1–2 mm ulcers. No pathogenic organisms were cultured from this environment.
Conclusion: It seems likely that skin can tolerate cast immobilization for prolonged duration.
Introduction
Extremity casts are frequently applied for routine immobilization for many acute fractures. The period of immobilization varies according to the patient and the fracture. For example, a non-operatively treated tibial fracture is rarely immobilized for longer than six months. Total contact casting has been used in the treatment of Charcot's neuropathy for periods of up to one year. We report a case of a below knee cast removal after 28 months.