If you experience any of the following please return to A&E, Fracture Clinic or Plaster Room (see hours of opening and contact telephone numbers below):

Complications

Your fingers/toes become blue, white or swollen or you are unable to move your arm/leg or fingers/toes
Your arm/leg becomes more painful
You develop pins and needles or numbness in the arm/leg (or fingers/toes) which has the cast
You have blister-like pain or rubbing under your cast
You have a discharge, wetness or smell under your cast
If you drop any object down inside your cast
If the plaster becomes wet from any fluid
If you have swelling of your arm/leg above top of the cast
If the cast becomes cracked, soft or loose

Care of the cast

You should:

Exercise the joints not held in your cast as much as possible, eg, fingers
Elevate your limb, especially during the first few days
Allow the cast to dry naturally – if made from Plaster of Paris, leave it uncovered for the first 48 hours
Inform the Plaster Technician if you plan to fly anywhere whilst in the cast

You should not:

Let your limb hang down unless it is being used
Sit too close to the fire
Get your cast wet
Put talc or anything else down your cast to make it smell nice
Cut, heat or otherwise interfere with your cast
Do not knock or hit the cast
Do not use spray paint on the cast, it may burn the skin
Do not go on the beach or play in sand

Are there any other possible complications?

Yes

A possible serious complication when wearing a cast is a deep vein thrombosis (DVT) or pulmonary embolism (PE). These are blood clots in the leg (DVT) or lung (PE).

Symptoms include:

Increased or renewed pain in the leg
Pain in the calf rather than over the fracture site
Shortness of breath
A sharp pain in the chest which is worse when you breathe in
Coughing up blood
If you experience any of the above, you must seek urgent medical help. Either return to A&E or dial 999

Contact numbers:

A&E: 01603 287 325

Plaster Room: 01603 286 718

Fracture Clinic: 01603 289 483

Plaster Room and Fracture Clinic opening hours are:

Monday to Thursday: 8.30 am–5.30 pm
Friday: 8.30 am–1.30 pm

Plaster Room is also open at weekends:

Weekends: 9 am–1 pm

Useful sources of information:

Please ask your doctor or nurse for more information.

NHS Choices website patient information on blood clots. Visit:
www.nhs.uk

Lifeblood: The Thrombosis Charity also has more information. Please visit:
www.thrombosis-charity.org.uk

Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) – To make comments or raise concerns about the Trust’s services, please contact PALS on 01603 289 036

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