Traction splint

The use of traction splints to treat complete long bone fractures of the femur is common in prehospital care.

A strap around the foot and ankle is connected to the other end of the splint, and tightened to counteract the muscle tension and produce traction.

The Thomas half-ring splints consist of a padded half-circle of steel which is strapped to the hip, hinged to a U-shaped rod that extends along both sides of the leg.

It also provides a more comfortable ankle strap and a small winch that makes it much easier to apply and adjust traction force.

The Kendrick traction device (KTD) eliminates the need for leg-raising and unnecessary rolling of the patient, and can be easily applied to both pediatric and adult applications.

It offers a proximal point of traction, rather than distal, making it better suited for tight transports in ambulances, helicopters or baskets.

The apparatus consists of a 6-inch-diameter circular splint that provides a rigid arc, with a 3-inch radius equidistant from the involved joint.

[7] The first widely used model of traction splint was introduced by Hugh Owen Thomas, a nineteenth-century Welsh surgeon, considered by many to be the father of modern orthopaedic surgery.

Surgeon Sir Henry Gray reported that in a battle in which the Thomas splint was used to treat the majority of femoral fractures, the mortality rate dropped from 80% to 15.6%.

Stretcher bearers trained to apply the splint with blindfolds on, ensuring that they were capable of doing it at night in No Man's Land.