B6.070 Prework: Fractures 101 Flashcards
what is a fracture
break in structural continuity of a bone
closed (simple) fracture
overlying skin is intact
open (compound) fracture
skin or one of the body cavities is breached
complete fracture
bone is split into two or more fragments
transverse fracture
complete fracture straight across bone
fragments remain in place after closed reduction
oblique or spiral fracture
tend to shorten the bone and re-displace even if bone is splinted
impacted fracture
fragments are jammed tightly together and fracture line is indistince
comminuted fracture
more than 2 fragments
incomplete fracture
bone is incompletely divided
periosteum remains intact
greenstick fracture
bone is buckled or bent
seen in children due to increased plasticity of their bones
compression fracture
crumpled cancellous bone
seen in adults, mainly in vertebral bodies
types of diaphyseal fractures
simple
wedge
complex
2 types of proximal/distal fractures
extra articular intra articular (consequences for healing)
what forces can displace fractures
force of the injury
effects of gravity
pull of muscles attached at the site
how is a displacement describes
relationship of the distal fragment to the proximal fragment
translation
shift
fragment may shift sideways, backward, or forward
angulation
tilt
malalignment if unconnected will lead to limb deformity
rotation
rotational deformity
mechanism of fractures
traumatic injury
repetitive stress
pathological fractures
direct force traumatic injury
bone breaks at the point of impact
the soft tissues are also damaged
indirect force traumatic injury
bone breaks at a distance from where the force is applied
dominant mechanisms of traumatic injury
spiral pattern: twisting
oblique: compression
triangular: bending
transverse: tension
stress fracture
normal bone subjected to repeated heavy loading, typically in athletes, dancers, or military personnel
what is a pathologic fracture
occurs in a bone that is made weak by some disease
causes of pathologic fractures
inflamm: osteomyelitis
neoplastic: giant cell tumor, Ewings
benign bone lesion: simple bone cyst, aneurysmal bone cyst
hereditary: osteogenesis imperfecta, osteopetrosis
other acquired diseases: osteoporosis, osteomalacia, rickets
primary fracture healing
fractures treated operatively without callus formation
secondary fracture healing
fractures treated non-operatively with callus formation
factors affecting bone healing
age type of bone pattern of fracture disturbed pathoanatomy type of reduction immobilization open fractures (bad) compression (good)
type of bone
cancellous faster healing than cortical
pattern of fracture
spiral > oblique > transverse > comminuted
