1. An appliance for preventing movement of a joint or for the fixation of displaced or movable parts. 2. The s. bone, or fibula. [Middle Dutch splinte]
- acid etch cemented s. a s. of heavy wire which is cemented to the labial surfaces of teeth with any of the acid etch cement techniques; used to stabilize traumatically displaced or periodontally diseased teeth.
- active s. SYN: dynamic s..
- air s. a plastic s. inflated by air used to immobilize part or all of an extremity. SYN: inflatable s..
- airplane s. a complicated s. that holds the arm in abduction at about shoulder level with the forearm midway in flexion, generally with an axillary strut for support.
- anchor s. a s. used for fracture of the jaw, with wires around the teeth and a rod to hold it in place.
- Anderson s. a contained skeletal traction s. with pins inserted into proximal and distal ends of a fracture; reduction is obtained by an external rod attached to the pins; also referred to as external fixation.
- backboard s. a board s. with slots for fixation of the body by straps; shorter ones are used for neck injuries, longer ones for back injuries.
- Balkan s. SYN: Balkan frame.
- cap s. a plastic or metallic fracture appliance designed to cover the crowns of the teeth and usually cemented to them.
- coaptation s. a short s. designed to prevent overriding of the ends of a fractured bone, usually supplemented by a longer s. to fix the entire limb. Most commonly used for repair of fractures of the humeral shaft.
- Denis Browne s. a light aluminum s. applied to the lateral aspect of the leg and foot; used for torsional deformities of the leg, ankle, or foot in children.
- dynamic s. a s. utilizing springs or elastic bands that aids in movements initiated by the patient by controlling the plane and range of motion. SYN: active s., functional s. (1).
- Essig s. a stainless steel wire passed labially and lingually around a segment of the dental arch and held in position by individual ligature wires around the contact areas of the teeth; used to stabilize fractured or repositioned teeth and the involved alveolar bone.
- Frejka pillow s. a pillow s. used for abduction and flexion of the femurs in treatment of congenital hip dysplasia or dislocation in infants.
- functional s. 1. SYN: dynamic s.. 2. the joining of two or more teeth into a rigid unit by means of fixed restorations that cover all or part of the abutment teeth.
- Gunning s. a prosthesis fabricated from models of endentulous maxillary and mandibular arches in order to aid in reduction and fixation of a fracture.
- inflatable s. SYN: air s..
- interdental s. a s. for a fractured jaw, consisting of two metal or acrylic resin bands wired to the teeth of the upper and lower jaws, respectively, and then fastened together to keep the jaws immovable.
- Kingsley s. a winged maxillary s. used to apply traction to reduce maxillary fractures as well as immobilize them by having the wings attached to a head appliance by elastics. SYN: reverse Kingsley s..
- labial s. an appliance of plastic, metal, or in combination, made to conform to the outer aspect of the dental arch and used in the management of jaw and facial injuries.
- ladder s. a flexible s. consisting of two stout parallel wires with finer cross wires. SYN: Cramer wire s..
- Stader s. a s. used primarily in veterinary medicine; with metal pins through the proximal and distal segments of a long bone fracture, the fixation of the pins is maintained by the apparatus, which is external to the limb.
- surgical s. general term for a device used to maintain tissues in a new position following surgery.
- Thomas s. a long leg s. extending from a ring at the hip to beyond the foot, allowing traction to a fractured leg, for emergencies and transportation.
- Tobruk s. a Thomas s., applied and held in plaster with plaster of Paris dressings; a s. first used during World War II to immobilize the limb during hazardous conditions such as transport from small to large boats. [port of Tobruk, Libya]
- wire s. a device to stabilize teeth loosened by accident or by a periodontal condition in the maxilla or mandible; a device to reduce and stabilize maxillary or mandibular fractures by applying it to both jaws and connecting it by intermaxillary wires or rubber bands.
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splint 'splint n
1) material or a device used to protect and immobilize a body part <a plaster \splint for a fractured leg> <a dental \splint>
2) a bony enlargement on the upper part of the cannon bone of a horse usu. on the inside of the leg
splint vt
1) to support and immobilize (as a broken bone) with a splint
2) to protect against pain by reducing the motion of <the patient \splinted his chest by a fixed position and shallow breathing>
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n.
a rigid support to hold broken bones in position until healing has occurred.
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(splint) 1. an appliance, either rigid or flexible, used to hold in position a displaced or movable part or to keep in place and protect an injured part. See also orthosis. 2. the act of fastening or confining with such an appliance. 3. to fasten or confine with such an appliance. 4. see splinting (def. 2). 5. an exostosis on the splint bone of a horse; see also splints.Medical dictionary. 2011.