Evaluation and Comparison of Traditional Plaster and Fiberglass Casts with 3D-Printed PLA and PLA–CaCO3 Composite Splints for Bone-Fracture Management

Abstract

Bone fractures pose a serious challenge for the healthcare system worldwide. A total of 17.5% of these fractures occur in the distal radius. Traditional cast materials commonly used for treatment have certain disadvantages, including a lack of mechanical and water resistance, poor hygiene, and odors. Three-dimensional printing is a dynamically developing technology which can potentially replace the traditional casts. The aim of the study was to examine and compare the traditional materials (plaster cast and fiberglass cast) with Polylactic Acid (PLA) and PLA–CaCO3 composite materials printed using Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF) technology and to produce a usable cast of each material. The materials were characterized by tensile, flexural, Charpy impact, Shore D hardness, flexural fatigue, and variable load cyclic tests, as well as an absorbed water test. In addition, cost-effectiveness was evaluated and compared. The measured values for tensile strength and flexural strength decreased with the increase in CaCO3 concentration. In the fatigue tests, the plaster cast and the fiberglass cast did not show normal fatigue curves; only the 3D-printed materials did so. Variable load cyclic tests showed that traditional casts cannot hold the same load at the same deflection after a higher load has been used. During these tests, the plaster cast had the biggest relative change (−79.7%), compared with −4.8 % for the 3D-printed materials. The results clearly showed that 3D-printed materials perform better in both static and dynamic mechanical tests; therefore, 3D printing could be a good alternative to customized splints and casts in the near future.