CASTING TECHNIQUE RESPONSES #1
Skewes, Ed
Description
Collection
Title:
CASTING TECHNIQUE RESPONSES #1
Creator:
Skewes, Ed
Date:
12/18/2000
Text:
May you all have a Happy and Healthy Holiday Season, and thank you for your
responses. Hope you enjoy them as much as I did!
Ed Skewes
Hello Ed:
Where I work, our population is primarily spina bifida. We use 1/8 LDPE
strips of various widths and lengths, and an Olfa type knife. Doesn't freak
out the kids (freaks out the parents sometimes!) but as long as you check
and replace your strips regularly, it works very well.
Naomi Matsui, CO©
Bloorview MacMillan Centre, Toronto
I have used heavy-duty elastic (prosthetic type) for casting for many years.
Not only does it work well, it creates very little distortion in the contour
of the cast. I cut my casts off with a sharp knife.
Ted A. Trower C.P.O.
A-S-C Orthotics & Prosthetics
Jackson, MI, USA
HI: If you know in advance who your latex intolerant patients are, you can
simply use a one inch wide lead strip, or probably aluminum foil under your
tubing as a separating barrier. Good Luck, Ron Cahill CPO
Hi Ed,
I use lead strips. I bought it at auction from a cabinet shop that was going
out of business. I'm not sure what they used it for. Actually it was a big
sheet of lead material and I cut strips from it as I need them. If you'd
like I'll send you some. I think it works great.
Sincerely,
Eddie White, CP
Hello Ed,
We do a lot of Cascade DAFOs here and have gone to using their rubber
casting strips. Give them a call some time and ask about the blue casting
strips. 18008487332.
Andy
cotton webbing doubled-up does the trick
Hi Ed,
The prevailing Swedish method is to use a thin strip of aluminum or other
pliable metal, brass works fine. We then cut through the cast with an
ordinary Stanley multiblade knife.
All the best
Kjell-Ake Nilsson, CPO at Linkoping University Hospital, Sweden
Hi Ed,
I use a Polyaethylene strip, 1/16 x ¾ and at any length, and cut the
plaster with a sharp knife. I cut carefully and listen and feel as the
fabric fibers are cut. As well I cut as soon as the plaster has set, but is
not totally hard. I have been doing this for 20 years now and have not cut
anyone. I started doing this as kids do not like the noise of the cast saw,
and it has worked great for me
All the Best for the New Year,
Eugene
At 06:24 PM 12/13/00 -0500, you wrote:
Try a piece of rope!1/4
pelite cut into strips works very well.
try dacron webbing rob cpo
try a piece of heavyweight 1 inch dacron webbing.
Cascade (as in Cascade DAFO , etc.) has a trim out strip made from
polyurethane that one uses in conjunction with a Stanley hook type utility
blade. The strip is about 5/8 wide with two beads on either edge of one
side. The casting material (plaster or synthetic) bridges over the strip,
and the hook blade slides down the void to cut the cast. It works
fine-although without the sturm und drang of the cast saw (much to the
relief of those who are younger or more apprehensive). It works even better
with synthetic casting tape than with plaster (plaster impressions cut fine
as long as you nick the edge of the cast with scissors before you start your
cut with the knife). An approximately 3 foot length costs about $5-$6 as I
remember, and appears to last indefinitely. It is quite flexible. You can
get ordering information by looking up CascadeDafo on the web or contacting
them directly.
Yours in the Pursuit
Harry Phillips, CPO
Duke University Prosthetics and Orthotics Dept.
Duke University Medical Center
Durham, NC
I too have come across that situation many times. So now I use cotton
webbing folded in 2 or 3 so that what ever you are using does not cut
through to the skin.
Try a thin 1 wide strip of polyeth or polypro. It works fine if you don't
press to hard and cut grooves in it.
J Ed,
We use 1 Grey elastic strap works fine.
Dan Snelson
Hi Ed!
Nice to see a note posted by you!
We virtually never use a cast saw, but rather a blade to remove all negative
molds. This past year or so, we went from using latex tubing (did some
experience with silicone tubing, but were unhappy with its durability) to
using a blue plastic strip that's sold by, I believe, Cascade. It has a
ridge on either side (the side facing the casting material, whereas the side
against the skin or stocking is smooth) which is nice to help keep the
cutting blade on track. We also went away from using a straight weck
blade to a reverse hook blade; similar to the design used in cutting
carpeting. This approach offers all the more protection to the patient.
Lastly, this especially works well with synthetic casting material, but not
so great with plaster.
If you're interested in the detail on where we get everything (the strip to
the blades), just let me know!
Kindest regards,
Don Katz, CO
responses. Hope you enjoy them as much as I did!
Ed Skewes
Hello Ed:
Where I work, our population is primarily spina bifida. We use 1/8 LDPE
strips of various widths and lengths, and an Olfa type knife. Doesn't freak
out the kids (freaks out the parents sometimes!) but as long as you check
and replace your strips regularly, it works very well.
Naomi Matsui, CO©
Bloorview MacMillan Centre, Toronto
I have used heavy-duty elastic (prosthetic type) for casting for many years.
Not only does it work well, it creates very little distortion in the contour
of the cast. I cut my casts off with a sharp knife.
Ted A. Trower C.P.O.
A-S-C Orthotics & Prosthetics
Jackson, MI, USA
HI: If you know in advance who your latex intolerant patients are, you can
simply use a one inch wide lead strip, or probably aluminum foil under your
tubing as a separating barrier. Good Luck, Ron Cahill CPO
Hi Ed,
I use lead strips. I bought it at auction from a cabinet shop that was going
out of business. I'm not sure what they used it for. Actually it was a big
sheet of lead material and I cut strips from it as I need them. If you'd
like I'll send you some. I think it works great.
Sincerely,
Eddie White, CP
Hello Ed,
We do a lot of Cascade DAFOs here and have gone to using their rubber
casting strips. Give them a call some time and ask about the blue casting
strips. 18008487332.
Andy
cotton webbing doubled-up does the trick
Hi Ed,
The prevailing Swedish method is to use a thin strip of aluminum or other
pliable metal, brass works fine. We then cut through the cast with an
ordinary Stanley multiblade knife.
All the best
Kjell-Ake Nilsson, CPO at Linkoping University Hospital, Sweden
Hi Ed,
I use a Polyaethylene strip, 1/16 x ¾ and at any length, and cut the
plaster with a sharp knife. I cut carefully and listen and feel as the
fabric fibers are cut. As well I cut as soon as the plaster has set, but is
not totally hard. I have been doing this for 20 years now and have not cut
anyone. I started doing this as kids do not like the noise of the cast saw,
and it has worked great for me
All the Best for the New Year,
Eugene
At 06:24 PM 12/13/00 -0500, you wrote:
Try a piece of rope!1/4
pelite cut into strips works very well.
try dacron webbing rob cpo
try a piece of heavyweight 1 inch dacron webbing.
Cascade (as in Cascade DAFO , etc.) has a trim out strip made from
polyurethane that one uses in conjunction with a Stanley hook type utility
blade. The strip is about 5/8 wide with two beads on either edge of one
side. The casting material (plaster or synthetic) bridges over the strip,
and the hook blade slides down the void to cut the cast. It works
fine-although without the sturm und drang of the cast saw (much to the
relief of those who are younger or more apprehensive). It works even better
with synthetic casting tape than with plaster (plaster impressions cut fine
as long as you nick the edge of the cast with scissors before you start your
cut with the knife). An approximately 3 foot length costs about $5-$6 as I
remember, and appears to last indefinitely. It is quite flexible. You can
get ordering information by looking up CascadeDafo on the web or contacting
them directly.
Yours in the Pursuit
Harry Phillips, CPO
Duke University Prosthetics and Orthotics Dept.
Duke University Medical Center
Durham, NC
I too have come across that situation many times. So now I use cotton
webbing folded in 2 or 3 so that what ever you are using does not cut
through to the skin.
Try a thin 1 wide strip of polyeth or polypro. It works fine if you don't
press to hard and cut grooves in it.
J Ed,
We use 1 Grey elastic strap works fine.
Dan Snelson
Hi Ed!
Nice to see a note posted by you!
We virtually never use a cast saw, but rather a blade to remove all negative
molds. This past year or so, we went from using latex tubing (did some
experience with silicone tubing, but were unhappy with its durability) to
using a blue plastic strip that's sold by, I believe, Cascade. It has a
ridge on either side (the side facing the casting material, whereas the side
against the skin or stocking is smooth) which is nice to help keep the
cutting blade on track. We also went away from using a straight weck
blade to a reverse hook blade; similar to the design used in cutting
carpeting. This approach offers all the more protection to the patient.
Lastly, this especially works well with synthetic casting material, but not
so great with plaster.
If you're interested in the detail on where we get everything (the strip to
the blades), just let me know!
Kindest regards,
Don Katz, CO
Citation
Skewes, Ed, “CASTING TECHNIQUE RESPONSES #1,” Digital Resource Foundation for Orthotics and Prosthetics, accessed November 2, 2024, https://library.drfop.org/items/show/215427.
