Method and apparatus for orthopedic cast removal utilizing a rotary impact driver

A method for installing and removing an orthopedic cast comprising the steps of:

• a) attaching a wire to a patient's limb or appendage, bridging a fracture region thereof;
• b) applying orthopedic cast material over said patient's limb or appendage and over said wire, and while applying said cast, embedding an anchor end of said wire in said cast and bending a free end of said wire up to expose said free end of said wire beyond a top of a finished surface of said cast, and tucking said free end of said wire onto said surface of said cast before said cast solidifies;
• c) when said cast is ready for removal, prying said free end of said wire away from said outer surface of said cast;
• d) placing a tip of said free end of said wire through a wire hole of a mandrel and winding said wire once manually;
• e) engaging said mandrel bit into said chuck of a rotary impact driver;
• f) guiding said wire through a slot in said spacer block then feeding a distal end of said mandrel through a bearing of said spacer block and locking said mandrel in place by using a retainer clip in a mandrel hole visible near an outer surface of said bearing, wherein said wire is still attached to said patient's limb or appendage and said mandrel, said spacer block and said rotary impact driver are all attached together;
• g) activating said rotary impact driver to wind said wire onto said mandrel, thereby moving said spacer block along an axis of said orthopedic cast while said wire cuts through said orthopedic cast;
• h) removing said retainer clip from said mandrel after cutting said orthopedic cast and pulling said rotary impact driver away from said spacer block;
• i) separating said spacer block and setting said spacer block aside, then disengaging said mandrel from said chuck of said rotary impact driver;
• and,
• j) prying said cut cast apart at said axial cut of said orthopedic cast and removing said orthopedic cast from the limb or appendage of the patient.