Why a Brunner Removable Cast?
Removable casts are tailor-made and applied by practitioners experienced in casting techniques. A Brunner RC is applied for fractures to the thumb and also for significant soft tissue injuries to the thumb.
The RC is easily removed and re-applied if required.
During the first 48 hours
The arm should be kept in the RC and elevated in a sling at all times during the first 48 hours to reduce the risk of swelling.
Paracetamol can be taken as advised by the doctor or emergency nurse practitioner as this is when the injury is likely to be most painful.
Your child should be encouraged to exercise their fingers and hand.
If further swelling occurs
You can loosen the RC, or remove it to relieve pressure. Once removed, place the arm back in the sling. This will encourage the swelling to go down.
If the swelling doesn’t go down within a couple of hours or there is numbness or increased pain, you should contact the accident and emergency department on 0131 312 0007.
After the first 48 hours
The RC can be removed three times a day for ten minutes to allow the skin to breathe and also to apply cream to relieve any itching.
It is recommended that your child keeps the RC on all the time at school, as it alerts people to the fact that they have had an injury and that they should be careful not to knock it, it also protects the thumb from any knocks in the playground.
The above are guidelines. If the thumb is painful out of the RC then put it back on. If at any time, the thumb becomes pain-free out of the RC contact the plaster room team between 9 am and 9 pm any day for advice on 0131 312 0027.
