Thanks to advancements in orthopedic technology, those days could be coming to an end, according to Dr. Alexander Vaccaro, a professor of neurosurgery and orthopedic surgery at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia, and president of the Rothman Orthopaedic Institute, which has 15 locations in New Jersey. Vaccaro said the COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the “Exploitation” of technologies that make patient care easier. A 3D-printed cast comprised of plastics and polymers can be easily snapped on and off, Vaccaro said. Vaccaro said a mobile app can take a picture of someone’s affected extremity – with something like a quarter or other coin in the shot, for scale – and from that picture, a cast can be printed out that contours perfectly to the patient. “You just take a picture, go online, have it delivered the next day, through like an Amazon delivery service,” Vaccaro said. “You can get a printout on how you’re doing, and it’s a great outcome measure,” Vaccaro said, noting that the technology can also be used to flag when someone is not progressing satisfactorily. Vaccaro said doctors and patients alike seem to love that aspect in particular.

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