Portable splint instantly hardens around broken limbs

If you always thought the inkjet approach to healing broken bones was too much of a stretch, you'll probably be interested in the plastic portable splint. Designed by Ching-Sui Kao, Geremi Durand, and Maxime Ducloux, the device is intended to be used by extreme sports participants (guess that includes Wii Sports?) that typically set records in either completion times or amount of damage done to their bodies, and can set your newly-broken limb into place right on the side of the mountain. By wrapping the limb with a set of flexible plastic strips, linking them up with Velcro, and finally applying a sodium citrate-based gel over top, a chemical reaction creates a rigid structure that forms a cast around the arm or leg. Of course, doctors can remove the material at the hospital and apply a more medically-approved rendition, but if you're looking for an easy way to excuse yourself from class or work without actually forging a doctor's note, here's your ticket.

[Keaton @ Mar 28th 2007 3:00AM]

Uh...
You know what is simpler and better?
A damn vacuum splint!
And what happens when you loose distal circulation with one of these new splints?
You pull out a chainsaw?
I don't think so...
A doubt this will ever get past the conceptual phase it is in right now...

[Bamboowhoyou? @ Mar 28th 2007 6:33AM]

Actually, considering this is meant for rescues that are more off the beaten trail, I think they will find some buyers. How the hell is a back country rescue party supposed to get a vacuum out to a victim? I would much rather carry one of these.

[spam_from_engadget @ Mar 28th 2007 7:40AM]

Cave rescue teams have inflatable splits, which have the advantage of being very compact. They also have the advantage that, as you are removing the immobilised casualty from the cave, if you get to a tight corner you can just deflate the split, force them past the obstruction (fingers in ears to block out the screams), and re-inflate at the other side!

[WhoDatNinja @ Mar 28th 2007 8:14AM]

But this doesn't require any deflating. I think this is a great for temporary use, and I assume it's to be used as such. It's plastic so it's going to be compact as well. And I doubt this will cut off circulation. It's not going to tighten any more once the bandage is already wrapped. It'll just harden when the gel is applied.

[spam_from_engadget @ Mar 28th 2007 8:29AM]

It's not so much that this one "doesn't need deflating", but rather that it _can't_ be deflated/removed. If you get to a tight corner that the immobilised limb won't fit through without bending, what do you do?

[srw @ Mar 28th 2007 8:37PM]

I think it could be useful for cave rescue.. certainly much less bulky than an inflatable splint (and if the passge were going to be too tight the rescuers could use an alternative at time of packaging). It also looks like it might provide a lot more stability than an air splint which would be a significant advantage given all the jostling a victim must endure during a cave rescue. I believe the question of whether the cast can be easly cut/split (with swelling of the injure limb)in a wilderness environment is a good one. Also, I'm not sure "warming" an injured limb is a particularly good idea (see swelling above..)
BTW a vacuum splint works with a hand pump just like an air splint, they are more bulky though because the vacuum splints are full of these bean-bag things so can't be as compacted as an air splint in transport.