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Lee R. Bloom, MD
Dr. Lee Bloom, is a licensed, fellowship-trained orthopedic surgeon and sports medicine specialist.
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Hayden Hand is an active 9-year-old who loves playing with her brother and friends. One day she was running around in her backyard with her brother when she slipped and fell, breaking her ulna and wrist. Her parents took her to the Emergency Room where she was initially evaluated and referred to Lee R. Bloom, MD, sports medicine surgeon at Middlesex Orthopedic & Spine Associates (MOSA).
Initially, Dr. Bloom placed Hayden’s arm in a standard fiberglass cast. Hayden had to avoid water which included covering up the cast with a plastic bag while showering.
“Hayden loves to ski,” said her mother, Elisa. “Part of her Christmas gift this year was to go to a ski resort with a water park. After she broke her wrist, we knew she wouldn’t be able to ski, but as the trip was approaching, we felt terrible that she couldn’t even enjoy the water park because the cast couldn’t get wet.”
Elisa decided to speak to Dr. Bloom about alternative options. He let her know about an innovative new waterproof cast called Cast21. Instead of plaster or fiberglass, this cast is an open lattice net that is filled with resin to be breathable and waterproof. He ordered it for Hayden and switched her casts the day before they left for their trip.
“The process itself was pretty cool,” explained Elisa. “They put the sleeve on Hayden and poured liquid in it to solidify. Hayden didn’t feel any discomfort during that process – or even after. I was worried the plastic might be uncomfortable on her arm, but she didn’t complain once.”
Hayden spent her first three weeks of recovery in the fiberglass cast then three weeks in the Cast21.
“It was incredible. Hayden was no longer devastated because she could actually go in water with it,” said Elisa. “The whole process was absolutely amazing. Plus, Hayden felt like she had the coolest arm in town with this new cast!”
Hayden was able to shower independently since it’s completely waterproof. She had a blast at the water park and was able to play as normal.
Elisa noted that the Cast21 is more compact than the fiberglass cast, which made it much easier to get clothes to fit over it. She also appreciated that due to the mesh material, she could visually check Hayden’s skin to make sure there was no rash or irritation – something that’s difficult to do with a plaster or fiberglass cast. In her experience, the new cast was significantly cleaner than the fiberglass cast which can get dirty very quickly and is often hard to clean.
“We are so grateful that we ended up in Dr. Bloom’s office,” said Elisa. “He’s been incredible along with his PA and the rest of his staff. Hayden absolutely loves Dr. Bloom and loved showing off her cool cast and doing things independently because of it.”
Elisa advises other parents to strongly consider a waterproof cast if it’s an option for their children as it made her life easier with an active child: “After the first broken bone in our family, we got a taste of how difficult it is to take care of a child in a fiberglass cast. This was a total game changer for us.”
Hayden much preferred her Cast21 to the original fiberglass cast since it gave her the freedom to be around water. Now that it’s removed, she’s hoping to get a ski day in before the mountains close and is looking forward to getting back to lacrosse.
“We are so grateful that we ended up in Dr. Bloom’s office,” said Elisa. “He’s been incredible along with his PA and the rest of his staff. Hayden absolutely loves Dr. Bloom and loved showing off her cool cast and doing things independently because of it.”
Elisa advises other parents to strongly consider a waterproof cast if it’s an option for their children as it made her life easier with an active child: “After the first broken bone in our family, we got a taste of how difficult it is to take care of a child in a fiberglass cast. This was a total game changer for us.”
Hayden much preferred her Cast21 to the original fiberglass cast since it gave her the freedom to be around water. Now that it’s removed, she’s hoping to get a ski day in before the mountains close and is looking forward to getting back to lacrosse.
