10.3. - Fractures - Seminar Flashcards
What is a Fracture?
A Break in Structural Continuity of Bone (Crack, Break, Split, Crumpling, Buckle)
Why do Bones fail?
- High Energy Transfer in normal Bones
- Repetitive Stress in Normal Bones (Stress Fracture)
- Low Energy Transfer in Abnormal Bones (Osteoporosis, Osteomalacia, Metastatic Tumour etc.)
What are the Key points in the Description of a Fracture?
- Mechanism & Energy of Injury
- Skin & Soft-Tisue Issues
- Site
- Shape
- Communication
- Deformity
- Associated Injuries
What are the aims of treating a Fracture?
- Relieving Pain
- Restoring Function
(3. Saving Life?)
What is the Management plan of an Injured Patient?
- Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS)
- Emergency Orthopaedic Management (Day 1)
- Monitoring of Fracture (Days-Weeks)
- Rehabilitation + Treatment of Complications (Weeks-Months)
What is included in Emergency Orthopaedic Management?
- Life Saving:
- a) Reducing a Pelvic Fracture in Haemodynamically Unstable Patients
- b) Applying Pressure to reduce Haemorrhage from an Open Fracture
- Complication Saving:
- a) Early &Complete Diagnosis of the Extent of Injuries
- b) Diagnosing &Treating the Soft-Tissue Injuries
What Soft-Tissue Injuries can occur during a Fracture?
- Skin - Degloving Injuries . Ischaemic Necrosis
- Muscles - Crush Injury & Compartment Syndromes
- Blood Vessels - Vasospasm & Arterial Laceration
- Nerves - Neurapraxias, Axonotmesis, Neurotmesis
- Ligaments - Joint Instability & Dislocation
Note - All require urgent treatment, as they will delay healing
What does the choice of treatment depend on?
- The type of Fracture
- The Bone which has been Fractures
- Soft-Tissue Injury
- Patient details
- Facilities / Abilities of the Surgeon
What is the difference of healing pattens between:
- Soft Tissue?
- Bone?
- Soft Tissue heals by replacing the injured tissue with a fibrous Scar
- Bone heals by Regeneration of Normal Bone Anatomy (forming a Callus) - Very Vascular, a broken bone will always bleed
What are the 3 phases of Bone Healing?
- Inflammatory Phase
- Reparative Phase
- Remodelling Phase
How do Fractures Heal in Nature?
- Regeneration vs Repair
- Phases of Healing by Callus
- Rapid Process, but Rehabilitation is Slow (Low Risk)
How do Fractures Heal with Surgery?
If Rigid - ORIF + Compression:
1. Primary Bone Healing
2. Slow Process but Rehabilitation is Rapid (High Risk)
If Stable - Nailing or External Fixation:
1. Healing by Callus
2. Rapid Process, and Rehabilitation Rapid (Lesser Risk)
How is Fracture Healing measured?
- Clinical Examination:
- a) Adult - Upper Limb = 6-8 wk; Lower Limb = 12-16 wk
- b) Child - Upper Limb = 3-4 wk; Lower Limb = 6-8 wk
- Radiologically (Bridging Callus Formation / Remodelling)
- Biomechanically (Stiffness)
When is a fracture healed?
- When the patient can bear weight
- When the X-Rays says so
- When remodelling is complete
What are the Local Problems of a Fracture?
Early: 1. Neurovascular Damage 2. Skin / Wound Problems 3. Compartment Syndrome Late: 1. Delayed Union / Nonunion 2. Avascular Necrosis