What is a Risser cast?
An orthopedic cast that encloses the trunk between anterior and posterior foam-lined rigid plastic components; permits ambulation of patients with injuries of the vertebral column and neck. Synonym(s): body jacket, Risser cast.
What is spine casting?
When a very young child develops scoliosis, a cast is an effective technique for correcting the spinal curvature and preventing it from worsening as they grows. Casting is commonly used for infants and toddlers who develop scoliosis due to congenital, neurological or unknown (idiopathic) causes.
What is the surgery for scoliosis?
The operation for scoliosis is a spinal fusion. The basic idea is to realign and fuse together the curved vertebrae so that they heal into a single, solid bone. With the tools and technology available today, scoliosis surgeons are able to improve curves significantly.
How does a spica cast work?
Spica (body) casts are used to keep the thighbone (femur) and pelvis still. We call this immobilization. This cast holds the joint above the hip (the spine) and the joint below the hip (the knee) still, so that the femur and pelvic bones stay still to heal.
What is Harrington rod?
The Harrington rod was a stainless steel spinal instrument that was implanted in the patient along their spinal column to treat a curvature in their spine starting in the 1960s. Harrington rods were the most common tool used for scoliosis to treat instability and deformity of the spine.
What is halo traction for scoliosis?
Halo-gravity traction is a method of gently stretching and straightening a severely compressed or curved spine. The procedure is typically a first step in correcting severe scoliosis, kyphosis, and other spine deformities.
Are scoliosis rods permanent?
Do the rods stay in my back for the rest of my life? In the majority of patients, the rods stay implanted for life. In about 2% of patients, the rods are removed. The most common reason for rod removal is discomfort arising from rods irritating overlying muscles.
How do you go to the bathroom in a spica cast?
Place a diaper inside the edges of the rear part of the cast. Use disposable diapers only. Keep the plastic side facing the cast and absorbent side next to your child’s skin. Change the diaper as soon as your child urinates or has a bowel movement.
How do you comfort a baby in spica cast?
How do you keep a child in a spica cast comfortable? The child may sit in whatever position is comfortable. Try using pillows, throw cushions or a bean bag chair to help prop her up. Small children can be pulled around in a wagon or stroller.
Can Harrington rods break?
Harrington rods can bend, break loose from the wires, or worse, break completely in two, necessitating further surgical intervention and removal of the rod. Once the rod is removed, corrosion (rust) is found on two out of every three. Below, are 2 radiographs of an individual with broken Harrington rods.
What replaced Harrington rods?
Since then, the instrumentation designed by two French surgeons, Yves Cotrel and Jean Dubousset, has been widely used in Australia and has largely superseded the Harrington instrumentation. It is commonly known as CD instrumentation.