Improvements in and relating to orthopaedic bandages and the manufacture thereof

Abstract

Abstract A cast-forming surgical bandage comprises a fabric coated with a free acid copolymer resin of vinyl acetate and crotonic acid or a derivative thereof. Gauze or knitted fabric is coated or impregnated with the copolymer in ammonia solution, acetone or a volatile amine, e.g. methylamine, dimethylamine, trimethylamine or ethylamine, which converts the copolymer into a water-soluble salt. On drying, the salt is restored to the copolymer form and hardens. Before use, the bandage is immersed in ammonia solution or a volatile amine to produce a water-soluble salt of the copolymer and thus soften the bandage, which when subsequently dried is in the hardened copolymer form. Alternatively, a water-soluble salt of the copolymer is formed by treatment with a non-volatile base, e.g. sodium carbonate, the copolymer being hardened by magnesium or aluminium sulphate which forms a water-insoluble salt. The bandage may additionally have a plaster of Paris layer or 10-90% of plaster of Paris by weight of the coating composition may be added to the copolymer as a filler.

Inventors

• 👤 Bernard Malcolm Jones
• 👤 James Dow

Bibliographic Details