How many days does it take to remove the plaster

Many people need to wear a cast after an injury, especially when there is a fracture or severe ligament and soft tissue injury, because a cast can help people recover well. Of course, after the plaster is applied, the plaster can be removed when the condition stabilizes. Generally, the plaster will be removed 6 to 8 weeks after the application. Here I will introduce you to some relevant knowledge about plastering!

1. Under what circumstances is plaster needed?

1. Fracture

Fractures are relatively serious injuries and are very painful. The muscles attached to the bones will undergo spasmodic contraction, or the weight of the limb itself and the original gravity may cause the fracture ends to shift. The healing of fractures takes a long time, and external fixators must be used to maintain the correct position of the fracture after reduction to prevent it from shifting again.

2. Severe ligament and soft tissue damage

In addition to fractures, severe injuries to ligaments and soft tissues also require plaster fixation. When the ligaments and soft tissues of the human body are severely injured, they need to be immobilized, so plaster is also needed to play a role in fixation and braking. For example: a sprained ankle.

2. What should you pay attention to after applying plaster?

1. Pay attention to the blood circulation of the limbs

After a fracture, the affected limb will swell. Sometimes, if the patient seeks medical treatment too early, the swelling of the limb is not obvious. After external fixation with plaster, the swelling continues to worsen, making the plaster, which was originally of moderate tightness, become too tight.

If the skin on the extremities becomes cyanotic, cold, or feels severe pain or numbness after plaster fixation, it indicates a blood circulation disorder and you should contact a doctor promptly to take measures to loosen the plaster, remove the plaster, and re-fix it.

2. Elevate the affected limb

After external fixation with a splint or plaster, the limb should be elevated about 30 degrees to facilitate blood circulation and reduce limb swelling. The affected limb can be elevated with a brace or pillow.

3. Keep the affected limb warm in cold seasons

Limbs fixed with plaster have poor blood circulation and should be prevented from frostbite in cold seasons, but blankets should not be covered on wet plaster.

4. Massage

Massage the edges of the plaster and the skin of the compressed areas 2-3 times a day to promote local blood circulation and prevent pressure sores. Dip your fingers in alcohol or soapy water for massage to increase lubrication.

5. Exercise more

During the period of plaster fixation, attention should be paid to functional exercises of the unfixed joints to promote blood circulation in the limbs, maintain the nutrition of the articular cartilage and the range of joint motion, which is conducive to the healing of fractures. For example, the upper limbs can perform wrist flexion and extension, finger extension and flexion exercises, and repeated fist exercises; the lower limbs can perform quadriceps contraction, ankle dorsiflexion, and toe flexion and extension exercises.

3. What complications should we pay attention to when applying plaster?

1. Pressure ulcers

Since plaster has no elasticity, if the early symptoms of the affected limb are local persistent pain, do not use painkillers easily, otherwise it will cause skin necrosis!

2. Blood circulation disorder

Because the limbs swell after surgery and the plaster has poor elasticity, circulatory disorders are likely to occur when the limbs are compressed by the plaster. Therefore, after plaster fixation, patients and their families should closely observe changes in the distal limbs (hands, feet, etc.) of the plaster fixation. If the skin of the distal limbs becomes pale, the skin temperature decreases, or the skin becomes cyanotic, the doctor should be informed in time.

3. Nerve compression

If the affected limb is numb, painful, and has decreased sensation and cannot move voluntarily but the skin color and temperature are good, it indicates that the nerve is compressed.