20.9.4: Articular and physeal fractures

Question 1

Articular fracture

Answer 1

a fracture that involves a joint surface. This type of a fracture will require compression.

Question 2

Which area of the bone is softest: diaphysis, metaphysis, or epiphysis?

Answer 2

Metaphysis: the transition point between the diaphysis and the physis (growth plate).
* The cortices are thinner
* There is much cancellous bone.
* There is reduced volume to the medullary cavity.
* This renders the bone softer than in other areas.

Question 3

What is a physeal fracture?

Answer 3

A fracture involving the physis (growth plate)

Question 4

How can you classify physeal fractures?

Answer 4

• Salter Harris system
• Types I-V

Question 5

Type I

Answer 5

Just involving the physis

Question 6

Type II

Answer 6

Physeal fracture and including a small amount of the metaphysis

Question 7

Type III

Answer 7

Physeal fracture with a small portion of the epiphysis.

Question 8

Type IV

Answer 8

Fracture through the physis and includes a section of the metaphysis and epiphysis.

Question 9

Type V

Answer 9

Non-displaced compression of the physis on one side. This can give rise to premature closure of the growth plate and angular limb deformities.

Question 10

What type of Salter Harris fracture is pictured?

Answer 10

There is no fracture; this is a normal physis (growth plate)

Question 11

What type of Salter Harris fracture is pictured?

Answer 11

Type I

Question 12

What type of Salter Harris fracture is pictured?

Answer 12

Type II

Question 13

What type of Salter Harris fracture is pictured?

Answer 13

Type III

Question 14

What type of Salter Harris fracture is pictured?

Answer 14

Type IV

Question 15

What type of Salter Harris fracture is pictured?

Answer 15

Type V

Question 16

True/false: the development of angular limb deformities after physeal fractures is common.

Answer 16

False
* Angular limb deformities occur when there is premature closure of one side of the physis but the other continues to grow
* Most commonly, when physeal fractures are seen in practice, the entirety of the physis is damaged, so angular limb deformities do not occur.
* The limb may be shorter, but other long bones usually try to compensate or the animal develops an adaptive gait.

Question 17

What are the types of open fractures?

Answer 17

Question 18

Describe the difference between open and closed fractures

Answer 18

• Closed fractures = skin is intact.
• Open fractures = skin overlying the fracture is broken.

Question 19

What are common sites for open fractures?

Answer 19

• In the antebrachium and crus where there is less soft tissue coverage.
• Can also occur in the mandible and maxilla.

Question 20

What factors affect the likelihood of infection in an open fracture?

Answer 20

• Degree of bone exposure
• Degree of contamination
• Associated tissue damage
• Time since the original injury

Question 21

Describe the difference between simple and comminuted fractures

Answer 21

• Simple = consists of 2 fragments
• Communited = at least 3 fragments

Question 22

What type of fracture is this?

Answer 22

Comminuted fracture to the feline humerus

Question 23

What type of fracture is this?

Answer 23

Simple fracture to the canine humerus

Question 24

Pathological fracture

Answer 24

Fracture that originates from weakening of the bone by a pathological process e.g. neoplasia, folding fractures in secondary renal hyperparathyroidism