Sustainable material selection for immobilization devices: a comparative analysis of plaster casts and PLA

Abstract

This article analyzes, from the perspective of sustainable material selection, the comparison between plaster casts and polylactic acid (PLA) applied to immobilization devices. The study is characterized as qualitative, exploratory, and analytical, developed through an integrative literature review. The analysis was structured into five comparative categories: technical-functional performance, processability and manufacturing, ergonomics and user experience, implementation feasibility, and socio-environmental sustainability. The results indicate that plaster casts remain relevant due to their clinical consolidation and ease of application, whereas PLA, associated with additive manufacturing, presents potential for anatomical customization, improved comfort, and projectual reconfiguration. However, it was found that the association between PLA and sustainability cannot be assumed as inherent, as it depends on production, functional, and contextual factors. It is concluded that material selection for immobilization devices should be understood as a multicriteria decision, integrating performance, use, feasibility, and sustainability.