Illinois Start-Up Revolutionizing Cast Design (ODTMag)
website Cast21
Polymer-based design allows for breathability and gives patients and physicians easy access to the affected area.
It is estimated that in the United States about six million emergency room visits involve broken bones. Ask anyone who’s been there—breaking a bone is no fun. Of course there is the pain of the initial injury and not being fully functional for a few months.
For those patients who will ultimately need a cast, there are also extenuating affects like not being able to get to an itch, the smell of the cast, and extra effort needed to cover it when taking a shower. About 40 percent of those patients experience some sort of skin or soft tissue damage throughout their experience as well.
A University of Illinois startup, Cast21, is helping take part of the sting out of the recovery with a revolutionary cast design. Made of various polymers, its netted structure allows for breathability and gives patients and physicians easy access to the affected area for treatment and comfort. And it is completely waterproof, meaning no need to cover your arm or leg with a garbage bag in the shower. It also doesn’t trap water against the skin like some of the current models on the market.
To read the full feature, see it at ODTmag – Illinois Start-Up Revolutionizing Cast Design
