Biobased polyester versus synthetic fiberglass casts for treating stable upper limb fractures in children: a randomized controlled trial

Abstract

Abstract Background Stable upper limb fractures, such as radius, ulna, or distal humerus fractures, are common pediatric orthopedic traumas that are traditionally managed with cast immobilization. The commonly used synthetic fiberglass cast is light and water resistant but may promote skin itchiness during casting, which is a common complaint of patients. In addition, these diisocyanate-based casts have been proven to be toxic and may cause asthma. Herein, we introduce a novel biobased polyester cast to compare its clinical outcomes and patient satisfaction with conventional synthetic fiberglass casts. Methods From Feb 2022 to Nov 2022, we undertook a single-center prospective randomized trial involving 100 children with cast-immobilized stable upper limb fractures. These patients were randomized into either biobased polyester or synthetic fiberglass groups. All patients were regularly followed up till the cast removal which occurred approximately 3–4 weeks after immobilizing. Objective clinical findings and subjective patient questionnaire were all collected and analyzed. Results According to the radiographs taken on the day of cast removal, there was no loss of reduction in both groups. The incidence of skin problems was 3.4 times higher in the synthetic fiberglass group than in the biobased polyester group. For the subjective questionnaire, the biobased polyester cast was preferred in every sub-item. Conclusions Our study strongly suggested that the novel biobased polyester cast provides matching stability to conventional fiberglass casts and improves patient satisfaction in an eco-friendlier and safer way. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov Protocol Registration and Results System ( https://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ ; ID: NCT06102603; Date: 26/10/2023).

Keywords

• Pediatric upper limb fracture
• Synthetic fiberglass cast
• Biobased polyester cast