Research Program in Natural Language Processing: Final Report

An orthopedic correctional cast and the method of providing the same primarily for correction of orthopedic abnormalities, and to promote healing of damaged bone structure. The cast comprises shells or sections which are joined in such manner as to accommodate removal of the cast from and replacement of the cast on the patient. The cast is constructed of thermoplastic material, whereby its sections may be replaced by application of heat and pressure to modify the correctional pressures applied to selected areas of a patient's body to effect orthopedic correction of abnormalities of bone structure or promote correct healing of damaged structure. The cast is fabricated by forming a pair of mating, relatively rigid matrices each having an open cavity generally conforming to approximately one-half of the body portion, then forming a shell of thermoplastic material within the conforming to each matrix cavity. After the abnormal portion of the patient's body has been encased in the cast for a period of time during which the abnormality has been partially corrected, the plastic shells are detached and the cast removed, then heat and pressure are applied to reshape selected localized areas of one or both plastic shells to apply modified correctional pressures to the partially corrected abnormality when the cast is replaced on the patient.