United Brachial Plexus Network, Inc.

Hi Everyone,

I am a little nervous! Mark is having serial casting next week.....what should we expect? Has anyone had the ACR surgery after the TT surgery? I worry because, he hs gained so much, will this be a major set back......I try to always see the bright side, yet as a MOM the anxiety sets in....send me your thoughts please!
Tina

hi tina... maia had serial casting

my suggestion is that the therapist not stretch the arm too much and not cast at too much of a stretch...
it's supposed to be done as a slow process - not overnight and not in a week or two.... stretching too much at once will cause pain (not so good memories - ugh)

so they basically heat and stretch the arm and then they cast it in that stretch position
then a week or two later, they remove the cast and they heat and stretch the arm and cast in the new stretch position...
and this happens over time until you get to the goal which I think is 10 degrees (?) and they they may make a new cast, cut it and put velcro on both ends so that you can use it as a night splint or they may make a night splint for him

it should not be painful (as long as don't push it for too fast)

the deal though is what you do afterwards..... it'll tighten up again fast if you don't keep it fully extended at night

oh yes - the other thing is that the cast has to be as lightweight as possible or it'll strain the shoulder
and you may want to have some shoulder support while the cast is on

hope that helps - best of luck,
francine

My daugher who is 14 starts her second round of serial casting next week too.

She had a BPI at birth. Had the TT surgery in July 2008, Humerous Osteotmomy Nov, 2008, Forearem osteotomy in Feb 2009.

She is at 45 degees bent at the elbow. She is very , very tight, and needs the MOD QUAD. The doc. wants to try serial casting again. The first time she was casted was WAY too soon after her TT surgery. We got her to 15 but it went right back.
We are very doubtful this one will work, but the plan is to have the MOD QUAD done right after. Since the doc. doesn't take our insurance, I am researching other doctors and clinics. Surely, someone else can do the MODQUAD and I won't have to put another 2nd mortgage on my house!

I would love to hear if anyone else has had a good experience with their doctors and BPI clinics.

That sounds similar to what they did with me, but when i was younger they just molded me a brace to wear at night. i had it until i was 15. My parents used to have to stretch my arm before i went to bed, and then put the brace on. that is a period of time i'd like to forget. my dad never came to appointments, but he insisted on stretching me every night. it felt like he was going to break my elbow he used to push so hard... i used to use everything i had to push against him so it wouldnt hurt as much. I reccommend listening to your child, push to the point where it hurts a little, but extreme pain is not fun!! Other than that, it wasn't too bad. Good luck!!