Biomaterial Database

A biomechanical study of cast-brace treatment of femoral shaft fractures. 1981

D Wardlaw, and J McLauchlan, and D J Pratt, and P Bowker

The off-loading characteristics of the cast-braces of 30 patients with fractures of the shaft of the femur have been investigated, during axial loading, using strain-gauge transducers. These were applied at the level of the fracture, where the cast was circumferentially split, and to the hinges of the brace at the knee. They measured the load transferred between the two portions of the thigh cast, and between the thigh cast as a whole and the below-knee cast; by subtraction from the total load on the limb, the skeletal force at the fracture level and at the knee could be calculated. In all patients there was an increase in the fracture load as union progressed which was thought to be due to physiological feedback mechanism from the fracture site. The load carried by the two portions of the thigh cast and by the thigh cast as a whole was proportionately high at first and stabilised at an average of 35 per cent of body weight.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008297	Male		Males
D008875	Middle Aged	An adult aged 45 - 64 years.	Middle Age
D011446	Prospective Studies	Observation of a population for a sufficient number of persons over a sufficient number of years to generate incidence or mortality rates subsequent to the selection of the study group.	Prospective Study,Studies, Prospective,Study, Prospective
D001835	Body Weight	The mass or quantity of heaviness of an individual. It is expressed by units of pounds or kilograms.	Body Weights,Weight, Body,Weights, Body
D001915	Braces	Orthopedic appliances used to support, align, or hold parts of the body in correct position. (Dorland, 28th ed)	Brace
D002370	Casts, Surgical	Dressings made of fiberglass, plastic, or bandage impregnated with plaster of paris used for immobilization of various parts of the body in cases of fractures, dislocations, and infected wounds. In comparison with plaster casts, casts made of fiberglass or plastic are lightweight, radiolucent, able to withstand moisture, and less rigid.	Fiberglass Casts,Plaster Casts,Plastic Casts,Cast, Surgical,Surgical Cast,Surgical Casts,Cast, Fiberglass,Cast, Plaster,Cast, Plastic,Casts, Fiberglass,Casts, Plaster,Casts, Plastic,Fiberglass Cast,Plaster Cast,Plastic Cast
D005260	Female		Females
D005264	Femoral Fractures	Fractures of the femur.	Femoral Fracture,Fracture, Femoral,Fractures, Femoral
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000293	Adolescent	A person 13 to 18 years of age.	Adolescence,Youth,Adolescents,Adolescents, Female,Adolescents, Male,Teenagers,Teens,Adolescent, Female,Adolescent, Male,Female Adolescent,Female Adolescents,Male Adolescent,Male Adolescents,Teen,Teenager,Youths