Aim Plaster of Paris casts form one the most basic yet effective treatment for acute orthopaedic fractures and often form a permanent treatment methodology. Patients with fractures present at all times of the day to acute services and require prompt stabilisation. Casts however do present some risks including compartment syndrome and skin ulcerations. Our quality improvement aimed to improve confidence in healthcare providers across different specialities in managing plasters. Method Focussed workshops conducted by expert plaster technicians under the supervision of an experienced orthopaedic consultant were conducted for upper and lower limb injuries. Additional workshops encompassing plaster safety and other trauma splints were delivered. Candidates ranged across different grades and included nurse practitioners and qualified doctors. Confidence scores (out of five) measured on a Likert scale were obtained from 25 participants. Results Knowledge about plasters including type of plaster matched to injury improved from a mean score of 3 to 4.5. Confidence in applying upper limb plasters improved from a mean score 3 to 4.7 and applying lower limb plasters improved from a mean score of 3.25 to 4.8. Confidence in plaster safety including acute conditions and safe removal improved from a mean score of 2 to 4.6. Confidence in applying acute splints improved from a mean score of 1.5 to 4.3. Conclusions Our quality improvement project improve the confidence in practitioners managing acute orthopaedic patients with an emphasis on plaster safety and acute splints. It has been formally adopted on a regular basis as a teaching program.

A ring is traditionally worn as a symbol of love and affection or as decorative ornamental jewellery. However, rings are not without risk. The spectrum of danger can range from debilitating avulsion injuries to simple contact dermatitis. Unknown to many, an unusual rarity exists; previous authors have termed this entity 'embedded ring syndrome'. We sought to review the literature and collate evidence on the common features of this syndrome. A literature review was performed on cases reported from 1947 to 2017 accessed through the healthcare database advanced search (HDAS). A total of 28 cases were analysed for demographics, symptomatology and operative techniques. Overall, 64.3% were females, and 50% had a psychiatric comorbidity. There was a causative event preceding the injury in 35.7% of cases; 71.4% had a reduced range of movement or reported a stiff finger and 32.1% had reduced sensation. The majority of patients underwent ring removal and primary closure, without documentation as to whether neurovascular bundles and tendons were visualised. Embedded ring injuries are rare. Consequently, information is sparsely available regarding its natural history and management. The hand surgeon's approach requires an understanding that the chronicity of these injuries can have a significant traumatic impact on the structures of the finger.