Splinting Workshop

David Gallant is the chief orthopedic technologist at Maine Medical Partner's orthopaedic trauma and fracture care clinic.  He has been practicing emergency splinting and extremity stabilization for over 30 years.  In the videos below he shares some pearls and pitfalls on the common splints placed in the emergency department  

 

Thumb Spica

Indications:  Treatment of bone, soft tissue and/or ligamentous injuries to radial side of hand or wrist

Short Arm Volar Splint

Indications:  Hand or wrist injury not severe enough to warrant limitation of thumb, fingers or elbow range of motion

Ulnar Gutter Splint

Indications:  Bone, soft tissue and/or ligamentous injuries to the lateral side of the hand or wrist (eg. boxer's fracture) 

Sugar Tong

Indications:  Wrist ligamentous injuries and forearm fractures that are painful or unstable with pronation or supination  

Long Arm  Posterior Splint

Indications:  Stabilization of injuries in the elbow region such as elbow dislocations, fractures to the radial head, olecranon or distal humerus.

Coaptation Splint

Indications:  This is the ideal splint to stabilize mid-shaft and proximal third humeral fractures. It is best applied with the humerus perpendicular to the floor, i.e. with the patient upright.

Short Leg Anterior Splint

Indications:  Stabilization of Achilles tendon or calf injuries

 

 

Short Leg Posterior Splint

Indications:  Stabilization of ankle fractures