Splinting

Background

Fracture management overview

• Upper extremity
  • Humerus
  • Forearm
  • Carpals
  • Hand
• Torso
  • Chest
  • Spine
  • Pelvis
• Lower extremity
  • Femur
  • Distal leg
  • Foot
• Other
  • Pediatric
  • Fractures (main)

Splint Types

• Hand
  • Buddy tape splint
  • Finger splint
• Arm
  • Coaptation splint
  • Forearm volar splint‎
  • Long arm posterior splint
  • Radial gutter splint
  • Sling and swathe splint
  • Sugar tong splint
  • Double sugar tong splint
  • Thumb spica splint
  • Ulnar gutter splint
• Leg
  • Long leg posterior splint
  • Stirrup splint
  • Posterior ankle splint

Splint Material

• Stockinette
  • Cloth sleeve
  • Base layer for splint/cast
  • Protects skin
• Cast padding (eg Webril)
  • Used with plaster of Paris
  • 2-3 layers with padding of bony points as needed
  • Wrapping circumferentially with 50% overlap will automatically create 2 layers
• Plaster of Paris
  • 6-10 layers for upper extremity splints, 12-15 for lower extremity splints
  • Takes 20 minutes to cure, sooner if warmer water is used
  • Watch for exothermic reaction
• Elastic bandage
  • Outer layer to hold splint in place
  • Excessive tightness can lead to pain, less room for swelling

• Fiberglass
  • Pre-wrapped material
  • Use cool or room temperature water
  • Not as pliable as plaster of Paris
  • Trim or cover cut edges to prevent injury

See Also

• Vacuum splint

References

Authors

Ross Donaldson