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Encyclopedia > Compound fracture

A bone fracture is a medical condition in which a bone becomes cracked, splintered, or bisected as a result of physical trauma. Grays illustration of a human femur, a typically recognized bone. ... In medicine, a trauma patient has suffered serious and life-threatening physical injury resulting in secondary complications such as shock, respiratory failure and death. ...

Contents


Classification

Closed vs. open

In medicine, fractures are classified as closed or open (compound) and simple or multi-fragmentary (formerly comminuted). Medicine is the branch of health science and the sector of public life concerned with maintaining human health or restoring it through the treatment of disease and injury. ...

  • Closed fractures are those in which the skin is intact, while open (compound) fractures involve wounds that communicate with the fracture and may expose bone to contamination. Open injuries carry an elevated risk of infection; they require antibiotic treatment and usually urgent surgical treatment (debridement). This involves removal of all dirt, contamination, and dead tissue.
  • Simple fractures are fractures that occur along one line, splitting the bone into two pieces, while multi-fragmentary fractures involve the bone splitting into multiple pieces. A simple, closed fracture is much easier to treat and has a much better prognosis than an open, contaminated fracture. Other considerations in fracture care are displacement (fracture gap) and angulation. If angulation or displacement is large, reduction (manipulation) of the bone may be required and, in adults, frequently requires surgical care. These injuries may take longer to heal than injuries without displacement or angulation.

Infection is also the title of an episode of the television series Babylon 5, and the English title of the Japanese film Kansen. ... An antibiotic is a drug that kills or slows the growth of bacteria. ... Debridement is a surgical term referring to the surgical removal of infected or otherwise non-viable tissue to improve the healing potential of the remaining healthy tissue. ... ...

Special considerations for children

In children, whose bones are still developing, there are risks of either a growth plate injury or a greenstick fracture. A greenstick fracture is a bone fracture seen almost exclusively in children. ...

  • A greenstick fracture occurs because the bone is not as brittle as it would be in an adult, and thus does not completely fracture, but rather exhibits bowing without complete disruption of the bone's cortex.
  • Growth plate injuries require careful treatment and accurate reduction to make sure that the bone continues to grow normally.
  • Plastic deformation of the bone, in which the bone permanently bends but does not break, is also possible in children. These injuries may require an osteotomy (bone cut) to realign the bone if it is fixed and cannot be realigned by closed methods.

In anatomy and zoology the cortex is the outermost (or superficial) layer of an organ. ... In physics and materials science, plasticity is a property of a material to undergo a non-reversible change of shape in response to an applied force. ... An osteotomy is a surgical operation whereby a bone is cut to shorten, lengthen, or change its alignment. ...

OTA classification (Orthopaedic Trauma Association)

Orthopaedic surgeons have devised an elaborate classification system to describe the injury accurately and guide treatment. There are five parts to the code:

  • Bone: Description of a fracture starts by naming the bone
  • Location: the part of the bone involved (e.g. shaft of the femur).
  • Type: It is important to note whether the fracture is simple or multifragmentary and whether it is closed or open.
    • A=simple fracture
    • B=wedge fracture
    • C=complex fracture
  • Group: The geometry of the fracture is also described by terms such as transverse, oblique, spiral, or segmental.
  • Subgroup: Other features of the fracture are described in terms of displacement, angulation and shortening. A stable fracture is one which is likely to stay in a good (functional) position while it heals; an unstable one is likely to shorten, angulate or rotate before healing and lead to poor function in the long term.

The humerus is a long bone in the arm or fore-legs (animals) that runs from the shoulder to the elbow. ... RADIUS (Remote Authentication Dial In User Service) is an AAA (authentication, authorization and accounting) protocol for applications such as network access or IP mobility. ... The ulna (Elbow Bone) [Figs. ... If you were looking for an organization, see FEMA. The femur or thigh bone is the longest, most voluminous and strongest bone of the human body. ... Figure 1 : Upper surface of right tibia. ... Figure 1 : Lower extremity of right fibula. ... The vertebral column seen from the side Different regions (curvatures) of the vertebral column The vertebral column (backbone or spine) is a column of vertebrae situated in the dorsal aspect of the abdomen. ... Human male pelvis, viewed from front Human female pelvis, viewed from front The pelvis is the bony structure located at the base of the spine (properly known as the caudal end). ... In Greek mythology, Carpus fruit was a son of Chloris and Boreas. ... The metacarpus is the intermediate part of the hand skeleton that is located between the fingers distally and the carpus which forms the connection to the forearm. ... Look up phalanx in Wiktionary, the free dictionary Phalanx (Greek word from phalangos, meaning Finger) can refer to: phalanx formation in ancient warfare. ... FIG. 270– Left talus, from above. ... The calcaneus is the large bone making up the heel of the human foot. ... The navicular bone (also called the navicular or scaphoid) is one of the tarsal bones, found in the foot. ... There are three cuneiform bones in the human foot: the medial cuneiform, the intermediate cuneiform and the lateral cuneiform. ... In anatomy, the cuboid bone is a bone in the foot. ... The Lisfranc joint in the foot is a tarsometatarsal joint and collectively refers to the multiple articulations between the forefoot and midfoot. ... The metatarsus consists of the five long bones of the foot, which are numbered from the medial side (ossa metatarsalia I.-V.); each presents for examination a body and two extremities. ... Look up phalanx in Wiktionary, the free dictionary Phalanx (Greek word from phalangos, meaning Finger) can refer to: phalanx formation in ancient warfare. ... Left patella - anterior aspect Left patella - posterior aspect The patella or kneecap is a thick, triangular bone which articulates with the femur and covers and protects the front of the knee joint. ... Left clavicle - from above Left clavicle - from below Collarbone (a bone) redirects here. ... Left scapula - front view () Left scapula - rear view () In anatomy, the scapula, or shoulder blade, is the bone that connects the humerus (arm bone) with the clavicle (collar bone). ... If you were looking for an organization, see FEMA. The femur or thigh bone is the longest, most voluminous and strongest bone of the human body. ... In zootomy, several terms are used to describe the location of organs and other structures in the body of bilateral animals. ... In zootomy, several terms are used to describe the location of organs and other structures in the body of bilateral animals. ...

Other classification systems

There are other systems used to classify different types of bone fractures:

  • "Neer classification" (PMID 9155417): humerus overview eMedicine
  • "Denis classification": spine GP Notebook
  • "Seinsheimer's Classification": femur Duke

The humerus is a long bone in the arm or fore-legs (animals) that runs from the shoulder to the elbow. ... The vertebral column seen from the side Different regions (curvatures) of the vertebral column The vertebral column (backbone or spine) is a column of vertebrae situated in the dorsal aspect of the abdomen. ... If you were looking for an organization, see FEMA. The femur or thigh bone is the longest, most voluminous and strongest bone of the human body. ...

Avulsion fracture

An avulsion fracture is where the tendon tears away a piece of bone. An avulsion fracture is a bone fracture which occurs when a (usually small) piece of bone becomes bisected as a result of physical trauma to the ligament attached to it. ...


Bone response

Main article: Bone healing

The natural process of healing a fracture starts when the injured bone and surrounding tissues bleed. The blood coagulates to form a blood clot situated between the broken fragments. Within a few days blood vessels grow into the jelly-like matrix of the blood clot. The new blood vessels bring white blood cells to the area, which gradually remove the non-viable material. The blood vessels also bring fibroblasts in the walls of the vessels and these multiply and produce collagen fibres. In this way the blood clot is replaced by a matrix of collagen. Collagen's rubbery consistency allows bone fragments to move only a small amount unless severe or persistent force is applied. When a bone breaks the most important thing is the state of the periosteum, the membrane covering the bone. ... Coagulation is the thickening or congealing of any liquid into solid clots. ... Coagulation is the thickening or congealing of any liquid into solid clots. ... Angiogenesis is the physiological process involving the growth of new blood vessels from pre-existing vessels. ... White blood cells (a. ... A fibroblast is a cell that makes the structural fibers and ground substance of connective tissue. ... Tropocollagen triple helix. ...


At this stage, some of the fibroblasts begin to lay down bone matrix (calcium hydroxyapatite) in the form of insoluble crystals. This mineralization of the collagen matrix stiffens it and transforms it into bone. In fact bone is a mineralized collagen matrix; if the mineral is dissolved out of bone, it becomes rubbery. Healing bone callus is on average sufficiently mineralized to show up on X-ray within 6 weeks in adults and less in children. This initial "woven" bone does not have the strong mechanical properties of mature bone. By a process of remodelling, the woven bone is replaced by mature "lamellar" bone. The whole process can take up to 18 months, but in adults the strength of the healing bone is usually 80% of normal by 3 months after the injury. It has been suggested that crystallization processes be merged into this article or section. ... A fibrocartilage callus is a temporary fibrocartilage callus which forms as bone attemps to heal a fracture. ... In the NATO phonetic alphabet, X-ray represents the letter X. An X-ray picture (radiograph) taken by Röntgen An X-ray is a form of electromagnetic radiation with a wavelength approximately in the range of 5 pm to 10 nanometers (corresponding to frequencies in the range 30 PHz...


Treatment

First aid for fractures includes stabilizing the break with a splint in order to prevent movement of the injured part, which could sever blood vessels and cause further tissue damage. Waxed cardboard splints are inexpensive, lightweight, waterproof and strong. Compound fractures are treated as open wounds in addition to fractures. A splint is a medical device for the immobilisation of limbs or of the spine. ... The arterial system The blood vessels are part of the circulatory system and function to transport blood throughout the body. ... Biological tissue is a group of cells that perform a similar function. ...


At the hospital, closed fractures are diagnosed by taking an X-ray photograph of the injury. In the NATO phonetic alphabet, X-ray represents the letter X. An X-ray picture (radiograph) taken by Röntgen An X-ray is a form of electromagnetic radiation with a wavelength approximately in the range of 5 pm to 10 nanometers (corresponding to frequencies in the range 30 PHz...


Since bone healing is a natural process which will most often occur, fracture treatment aims to ensure the best possible function of the injured part after healing. Bone fractures are typically treated by restoring the fractured pieces of bone to their natural positions (if necessary), and maintaining those positions while the bone heals. To this end, a fractured limb is usually immobilized with a plaster or fiberglass cast which holds the bones in position and immobilizes the joints above and below the fracture. In some cases surgical nails, screws, plates and wires are used to hold the fractured bone together more directly. When a bone breaks the most important thing is the state of the periosteum, the membrane covering the bone. ... // Gypsum plaster Plaster of Paris, or simply plaster, is a type of building material based on calcium sulfate hemihydrate, nominally (CaSO₄)₂*H₂O. It is created by heating gypsum to about 150 ℃, 2(CaSO₄ · 2H₂O) → (CaSO₄)₂ · H₂O + 3 H₂O (released as steam). ... Glass-reinforced plastic (GRP), is a composite material or fibre reinforced plastic made of a plastic reinforced by fine fibers made of glass. ... cast A cast is a shell, frequently made from plaster, encasing a limb (or, in some cases, large portions of the body) to hold a broken bone (or bones) in place until it has healed. ...


Occasionally smaller bones, such as toes, may be treated without the cast, by buddy wrapping them, which serves a similar function to making a cast. By allowing only limited movement, fixation helps preserve anatomical alignment while enabling callus formation, towards the target of achieving union. Toes are the digits of the foot of a human or animal. ... A fibrocartilage callus is a temporary fibrocartilage callus which forms as bone attemps to heal a fracture. ...


Operative methods of treating fractures have their own risks and benefits, but usually surgery is done only if conservative treatment has failed or is very likely to fail. With some fractures such as hip fractures, surgery is offered routinely, because the complications of non-operative treatment include deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism, which are more dangerous than surgery. When a joint surface is damaged by a fracture, surgery is also commonly recommended to make an accurate anatomical reduction and restore the smoothness of the joint. Hip fracture is a fracture in the femur (thighbone) just below the hip joint. ... It has been suggested that thrombophlebitis be merged into this article or section. ...


Infection is especially dangerous in bones, due to their limited blood flow. Bone tissue is predominantly extracellular matrix, rather than living cells, and the few blood vessels needed to support this low metabolism are only able to bring a limited number of immune cells to an injury to fight infection. For this reason, open fractures and osteotomies call for very careful antiseptic procedures and prophylactic antibiotics. Infection is also the title of an episode of the television series Babylon 5, and the English title of the Japanese film Kansen. ... In biology, extracellular matrix (ECM) is any material part of a tissue that is not part of any cell. ... White Blood Cells is also the name of a White Stripes album. ... An antiseptic (Greek αντι, against, and σηπτικος, putrefactive) is a substance that prevents the growth and reproduction of various microorganisms (such as bacteria, fungi, protozoa, and viruses) on the external surfaces of the body. ... This page is a candidate to be moved to Wiktionary. ...

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Sometimes bones are reinforced with metal, but these fracture implants must be designed and installed with care. Stress shielding occurs when plates or screws carry too large of a portion of the bone's load, causing atrophy. This problem is reduced, but not eliminated, by the use of low-modulus materials, including titanium and its alloys. The heat generated by the friction of installing hardware can easily accumulate and damage bone tissue, reducing the strength of the connections. If dissimilar metals are installed in contact with one another (i.e., a titanium plate with cobalt-chromium alloy or stainless steel screws), galvanic corrosion will result. The metal ions produced can damage the bone locally and may cause systemic effects as well. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (2083x1960, 236 KB) Beschreibung own knee with a titan nail. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (2083x1960, 236 KB) Beschreibung own knee with a titan nail. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (2083x1666, 170 KB) Beschreibung own foot with a titan nail. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (2083x1666, 170 KB) Beschreibung own foot with a titan nail. ... Atrophy is the partial or complete wasting away of a part of the body. ... In solid mechanics, Youngs modulus (also known as the modulus of elasticity, elastic modulus or tensile modulus) is a measure of the stiffness of a given material. ... General Name, Symbol, Number titanium, Ti, 22 Chemical series transition metals Group, Period, Block 4, 4, d Appearance silvery metallic Atomic mass 47. ... General Name, Symbol, Number cobalt, Co, 27 Chemical series transition metals Group, Period, Block 9, 4, d Appearance metallic with gray tinge Atomic mass 58. ... General Name, Symbol, Number chromium, Cr, 24 Chemical series transition metals Group, Period, Block 6, 4, d Appearance silvery metallic Atomic mass 51. ... In metallurgy, stainless steel (inox) is defined[1] as a ferrous alloy with a minimum of 10. ... Corrosion, atmospheric and biologic (Barnacles) Corrosion is deterioration of intrinsic properties in a material due to reactions with its environment. ... // An ion is an atom, group of atoms, or subatomic particle with a net electric charge. ...


Bone fracture by location

// S00-T14 - Injury (S00-S09) head (S00) Superficial injury of head (S01) Open wound of head (S02) Fracture of skull and facial bones (S03) Dislocation, sprain and strain of joints and ligaments of head (S04) Injury of cranial nerves (S05) Injury of eye and orbit (S06) Intracranial injury (S07) Crushing... A skull fracture is a break in one or more of the bones in the skull caused by a head injury. ... // S00-T14 - Injury (S00-S09) head (S00) Superficial injury of head (S01) Open wound of head (S02) Fracture of skull and facial bones (S03) Dislocation, sprain and strain of joints and ligaments of head (S04) Injury of cranial nerves (S05) Injury of eye and orbit (S06) Intracranial injury (S07) Crushing... A basilar skull fracture (or Basal skull fracture) is a linear fracture involving the base of the skull. ... // S00-T14 - Injury (S00-S09) head (S00) Superficial injury of head (S01) Open wound of head (S02) Fracture of skull and facial bones (S03) Dislocation, sprain and strain of joints and ligaments of head (S04) Injury of cranial nerves (S05) Injury of eye and orbit (S06) Intracranial injury (S07) Crushing... A clavicle fracture is a bone fracture in the clavicle, or collarbone. ... // S00-T14 - Injury (S00-S09) head (S00) Superficial injury of head (S01) Open wound of head (S02) Fracture of skull and facial bones (S03) Dislocation, sprain and strain of joints and ligaments of head (S04) Injury of cranial nerves (S05) Injury of eye and orbit (S06) Intracranial injury (S07) Crushing... Distal radius fractures are a very common injury of the that occur at the distal end, where the wrist joint lies. ... // S00-T14 - Injury (S00-S09) head (S00) Superficial injury of head (S01) Open wound of head (S02) Fracture of skull and facial bones (S03) Dislocation, sprain and strain of joints and ligaments of head (S04) Injury of cranial nerves (S05) Injury of eye and orbit (S06) Intracranial injury (S07) Crushing... Hip fracture is a fracture in the femur (thighbone) just below the hip joint. ... // S00-T14 - Injury (S00-S09) head (S00) Superficial injury of head (S01) Open wound of head (S02) Fracture of skull and facial bones (S03) Dislocation, sprain and strain of joints and ligaments of head (S04) Injury of cranial nerves (S05) Injury of eye and orbit (S06) Intracranial injury (S07) Crushing... A Jones fracture is a fracture of the fifth metatarsal of the foot. ... The Segond fracture is a type of avulsion fracture, in which soft tissue structures tear off bits of their bony attachment, in this case the lateral tibial plateau of the knee, immediately beyond the surface which articulates with the femur. ...

See also

When a bone breaks the most important thing is the state of the periosteum, the membrane covering the bone. ... A fibrocartilage callus is a temporary fibrocartilage callus which forms as bone attemps to heal a fracture. ... Osteoporosis is a disease of bone in which bone mineral density (BMD) is reduced, bone microarchitecture is disrupted, and the amount and variety of non-collagenous proteins in bone is changed. ... A stress fracture is one type of incomplete fractures in bones. ... Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery is a recognized international training course in specialised medicine, which requires a minimum length of formation of 5 years for a basic medical training and 4 years for a basic medical and dental training, in the European Union, and one of the 9 dental specialties recognized...

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