
Overview
This module describes how to remove plaster casts.
Indications
Contraindications
Patient information and consent
How do I explain this procedure?
“I’m going to use a vibrating saw, cutters, and a cast opener to cut through the cast and then crack it open.”
What can my patient expect?
“The saw may look scary, but the blade does not rotate, it just vibrates, so it doesn’t cut skin, only cast.”
What is my patient’s role?
“Let me know if anything feels uncomfortable or painful while I am cutting off the cast.”
Preparation

Documentation
Equipment
Site & Positioning
Position the patient with the cast in easy reach.
Procedure
Follow medical asepsis without gloves.
Troubleshooting
My patient is terrified of the cast saw.
It is helpful to demonstrate its safety, firstly by pressing it against your own palm, then the patient’s palm, to show that it is not spinning but simply oscillating.
I’m struggling to make progress with the saw.
Press the cast saw all the way through the depth/thickness of the cast at one site at a time, don’t push it along.