Waterproof, itch-proof, and breathable: this is the arm cast of the future

Designed by American startup Cast21, this wide-mesh, lightweight cast eliminates all the layers of discomfort experienced while mending a broken arm, hand, or wrist. Unlike traditional plaster or fiberglass casts, it also doesn’t need a circular saw to remove it.

Made up of a trio of engineers from the University of Illinois–Jason Troutner, Justin Brooks, and Ashley Moy–Chicago-based startup Cast21’s innovative, elegant, wide-mesh cast gets fitted in less than 10 minutes. Completely waterproof, it also lets patients enjoy an active life, even allowing them to swim and shower with it. Troutner, the company’s Chief Technical Officer has plenty of experience to draw from as he has been in casts more than 50 times due to sports injuries and surgeries.

By teaming up with Brooks, an electrical engineer, and Moy, a biomedical design engineer, they were led by their desire to break the norms associated with traditional casts and design a new solution that tackles the undeniable discomfort one experiences weeks on end while mending a broken arm, hand or wrist.

Based upon a mathematically formed structure, the inventive product's open lattice design offers protection, comfort, and breathability. - © Cast21 — Based upon a mathematically formed structure, the inventive product’s open lattice design offers protection, comfort, and breathability. – © Cast21

The sleeve painlessly slips over a person’s hand and onto their arm. It is then filled with a patented liquid resin which takes ten seconds. That becomes a malleable gel after approximately 3 minutes. As a next step, the doctor can adjust the gel to perfectly embrace the broken bone, giving it the needed support to move back into place. As the resin hardens, it produces an exothermic reaction–in this way, it provides soothing heat to the injured area.

Simple and easy: medical practitioners slide a sleeve of silicone tubes across the patient’s arm, fill it with a fast-hardening resin, and mere minutes later, a waterproof layer of protection is set in place. - © Cast21 — Simple and easy: medical practitioners slide a sleeve of silicone tubes across the patient’s arm, fill it with a fast-hardening resin, and mere minutes later, a waterproof layer of protection is set in place. – © Cast21

Cast21’s criss-crossed, breathable design allows one to satisfy an itch at all times. If it gets dirty, it’s easy to wipe off stains with water. Patients can also choose between gel colors and customize their futuristic cast. Getting it signed by your friends and family remains on the table as well. The inventive cast can be used along with electrical stimulation therapy, which can reduce healing time and prevent muscle atrophy. When healing is complete, no scary saw is needed to remove the Cast 21.

It allows for color customization, including solids, marbled patterns, and gradients. - © Cast21 — It allows for color customization, including solids, marbled patterns, and gradients. – © Cast21

When compared to a fiberglass cast, the product’s structure boasts exceptional resilience and durability. Cast 21’s maximal displacement measures an impressive 1000 N of force which is roughly the equivalent of withstanding being hit by a 224-pound falling object.

Waterproof and permits an outstanding degree of freedom and mobility limited while wearing traditional wrapped casts. - © Cast21 — Waterproof and permits an outstanding degree of freedom and mobility limited while wearing traditional wrapped casts. – © Cast21

Casting technology hasn’t adapted significantly since fiberglass casting techniques were first introduced almost 50 years ago. Standard orthopedic casts are still water-sensitive, posing the risk of skin irritation and infection within the confines of their rigid forms. They are difficult to apply and require specialized tools and training to remove. As the durable cast alternative for the 21st century, Cast21 offers a solution to all these issues: physically resilient, waterproof, lightweight, easy to apply, and simple to remove.

Cast21 is aiming to make its core product accessible to as many people as possible. At this time, you can request samples via the company’s request page. Looking ahead, the engineers plan to create casts for all parts of the body–crafting a lower limb model for ankle fractures is currently a priority on their agenda.