NURSING CARE FOR BST (BALANCED SKELETAL TRACTION)

1. Assess the patients level of consciousness and understanding.

2. Provision of general comfort.
3.
S k i n c a r e
4. P e r i n e a l C a r e
POTENTIAL COMPLICATIONS IN BST (BALANCED SKELETAL TRACTION)
1. Bed sores (advise the patient to turn sides, maintain the linens to be dry and clean as well
as free from wrinkles, etc)
2. Pneumonia (encourage deep breathing exercises to the patient in order to promote lung
expansion, back tapping to promote loosen the bronchial secretions)
3. Urinary Tract Infections (advise the patient to have a regular voiding, good
perineal care and to increase fluid intake)
4. Constipation (advise to increase fluid intake, high fiber diet and have a regular bowel
movement)
5. Contractures and stiffness of the muscles (encourage to have a contraction
and relaxation of the quadricep muscles, foot pedal exercises/dorsiflexion of the feet)
6. I n f e c t i o n a t t h e S t e i n m a n n p i n s i t e s
HARDWARE (Purpose: to put bones in good alignment without conformity and infection and
also to reduce fracture through external and internal fixators)

Fractures
Simple (closed)
Compound (open)
5 Cardinal Signs of Fracture:
Swelling
Tenderness
Pain
Crepitus

Loss of functionTreating Fractures:

Reduction (Open or closed reduction)
Realignment
Rehabilitation

Stages of Bone Healing:

Hematoma formation
Cellular proliferation
Callus formation
Ossification
Consolidation and remodeling
GADGETS
Traction

I . S
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Manual Traction
Skeletal Traction
Skin Traction (adhesive skin traction and non-adhesive skin traction)
K E L E T A L T Y P E O F T R A C T I O N
Halo femoral traction severe scoliosis
Halo pelvic traction scoliosis
90-90 degrees sub-trochanteric of the femur
Overhead traction supracondylar of the humerus
Balanced skeletal traction (BST) hip and femur affection

I I . S K I N A D H E S I V E T R A C T I O N
1. Dunlop traction supracondylar fracture of the humerus
2. Bryants traction hip and femur affection for children ages 6 years old or 3
years oldand below; congenital hip dislocation
3. Bucks extension hip and femur affection for adults
4. Z e r o d e g r e e f o r t h e n e c k o f t h e h u m e r u s
III.SKIN NON-ADHESIVE TRACTION
1.Cotrel combination of head halter and pelvic girdle traction; for scoliosis
2.Pelvic girdle traction for lumbo-sacral affection; for HNP (herniated nucleus pulposus)
3.Hammocks suspension pelvic affections
4.Head halter traction for cervical spine affection
5.Boot cast traction special type of traction for hip and knee contractures and post-poliowith
residual paralysis
Casts (it can be either plaster of paris or made up of fiber glass)
(purposes):

Immobilization
Support
Prevent and correct fractures
Maintain good alignment
Elevation
Model in making and artificial limb

Principles for application:

Immobilized the joint below and joint above
Always apply a padding material
Apply the cast in circular motion using the palm
Equipments in removal:
Cast cutter
Cast spreader
Cast knife
Bandage scissors
I . U P P E R
E X T R E M I T I E S
Body cast lower thoracic and upper lumbar
Minerva upper dorsal; cervical spine
R i z z e r s j a c k e t s c o l i o s i s
Collar cast cervical cast affection
Hanging cast fracture of the shaft of the humerus
Functional cast fracture of the shaft of the humerus with callus formation
Long arm circular cast fracture of the radius and ulna
Long arm posterior mold fracture of the radius and ulna with wound
swelling and infection
Short arm posterior mold fracture of the wrist and finger with open wound swelling and
infection
Munster/fuenster cast fracture of the radius and ulna with callus formation
Shoulder spica cast fracture of the upper portion of the humerus and the shoulder joint
Sugar tong fracture of the upper portion of the humerus and shoulder joint with open
wound swelling and infection13.Airplane cast fracture of the neck of the
humerus/recurrent shoulder dislocation
Thumb spica cast fracture of the first metacarpal bone
I I .

L O W E R
E X T R E M I T I E S
Pantalon cast pelvic affections
Brace cast fracture of the distal third of femu r with callus formation
Quadrilateral cast fracture of the shaft of the femur with callus formation
Double hip spica cast hip and femur affections

1 hip spica cast hip and femur affections

Single hip spica cast hip and femur affections
Basket cast severe/massive bone injury
Frog cast for congenital hip dislocations
Delvit cast fracture of the distal third o f the tibia-fibula with callus
formation
Cylinder cast for patellar affections
Cylinder mould fracture of the patella with open wound swelling and infection
Single hip spica mould fracture of the hip and femur with open wound swelling and
infection
Long leg circulr cast tibia and fibula affections
Short leg circular cast ankles, tarsals and metatarsals affections
Patellar tendon bearing cast (PTB) tibia-fibula with callus formation
Long leg posterior mould tibia-fibula affections with open wound swelling andinfection
Short leg posterior mould ankles, tarsals and metatarsals affections with open
woundswelling and infection
Internal rotator board/splint hip surgery (partial and total hip surgery)

Braces mechanical support for weakened muscles, bones and joints(purposes):

Immobilization
Support
Prevent and correct fracture
Maintain good body alignment
Control involuntary movements
Permits patient to walk without fatigue
1.Shuntz collar-cervical spine affections
2.Philadelphia collar cervical spine affections
3.Forester cervico thoraco lumbar spine affections
4.Taylor brace upper thoracic affections; potts disease
5.Jewetts brace lower thoracic and upper lumbar affections
6.Chairback lumbo sacral affections; HNP (herniated nucleus pulposus)
7 . Yam a m o t o s c o l i o s i s
8.Milwaukee scoliosis
9.Unilateral long leg brace post-polio with residual paralysis
10.Bilateral long leg brace post-polio with residual paralysis
11.Openheimer residual nerve paralysis
12.Banjo splint peripheral nerve paralysis
13.Dennis browne shoes clubfoot
14.SOMI (sterno-occipito-mandibular-immobilizer) spinal injuries