Casts and bandages

Bandages and casts can play a key role in the recovery and treatment of a patient from injury or surgery, and can often be an important factor in a good result. So it is imperative that the appropriate bandage or cast is utilised according to the condition/injury being treated. In this talk I am going to cover the basic layers of a standard bandage and then in more depth the different types covering the most common sites requiring bandages, including awkward areas such as the stifle. I will then talk about the latest types of bandages and casts that are being used in practice, the application, maintenance and monitoring involved in achieving a positive outcome. This will include application of a Robert Jones bandage, a cast bandage and casts supported by Ruggles and Dyson (2011). I will also cover the pros and cons of Robert Jones bandages and casts, including why you would choose a Robert Jones bandage over a cast and vice versa. I will also cover the importance of maintenance and monitoring of cast and bandages and include complications that may occur supported by Janicek et al. (2013) and Ketzner et al. (2009).