The days of heavy casts that restrict all sorts of day-to-day activities in the process of fixing broken bones will soon be in the past. A Chicago-based startup has now come with a futuristic design that is a much-needed upgrade from the cast that was a medical breakthrough more than a century ago.

Cast21 is a medical device start-up that hopes to revolutionize the way we mend broken bones. They have created an alternative to the traditional cast that is waterproof, breathable, and lightweight, unlike the traditional casts that are heavy and cause itchiness, skin infection, and a foul smell as patients are unable to clean underneath it. Cast21 is easy to apply and does not require any heat, water or additional equipment. It can be applied in under three minutes and in three steps. The honeycomb-like padded sleeve cast is slid on to the fractured arm, a duo of liquid resins is then poured into the empty sleeve and allowed to harden. As the liquid is becoming a malleable gel, the doctor must mold the gel to fit the patient's limb.

Cast21

The exothermic heat required for the hardening process causes no discomfort but in turn, has benefits in the healing process. "It feels soothing," Hogg told The Daily Mail. "It reaches about the same temperature as a hot tub." It is even latex-free in case patients are sensitive to the material. Even the removal process is hassle-free as it does not require a saw. Veronica Hogg, Cast21’s Vice President of Engineering, said, "The majority of fractures happen in children, adolescents and the elderly. Those saws are very loud and all this debris flies off and it’s very messy, it can be extremely frightening. The cast saw also presents a risk of burns to the patient." She says their product only requires clinical shears and can easily be snipped off.

Although this cast has revolutionary implications, product innovation is still in process. Cast21 currently only caters to forearm fractures but they hope to expand to include more sizes and create casts for legs as well. "We hope this technology can span across the entire body," Hogg says. "'It has the potential for use in the military and for at-home first aid."

Their product is currently available in a variety of colors and the Cast21 assures its users that friends and family can definitely still sign their cast just like traditional casts. For more information, you can use the contact form on their website.