Radiological evaluation of plaster casting bandages

Abstract

The radiological properties of five brands of plaster of Paris casting bandages, which were available on the Kenyan market at the time, were evaluated. These included Nairobi Enterprises, Salvagyps, Helm, Plasrun-gyps and Veronese. A bone sandwiched between two plaster slabs of equal number of layers of each brand of plaster bandage was radiographed. Radiographic clarity, mottling and fiber pattern interference were then subjectively evaluated. Assessment of these X-rays was found to be similar for all the products in terms of radiographic clarity, mottling and fiber pattern interference and one can satisfactorily obtain detailed radiographic information of bone under any of these plaster casts. Although radiographic properties of a cast material is important, this study shows that the similarity in radiographic properties of the casting bandages implies that it is more important in this part of the world to consider other properties e.g. breaking strength and resistance to abrasion in an endeavour to choose the most optimal plaster bandage.