Bone fractures Flashcards
what is a bone fracture?
If more pressure is put on a bone than it can stand, it will split or break. a break of any size is called a fracture
_General type of fractures _
Simple
a bone fracture that causes little or no damage to the surrounding soft tissues
(also known as a closed fracture)
general type of fractures
compound
a fracture in which broken bone fragments lacerate ( tear deeptly or cut) soft tissue and protrude through an open wound in the skin
(open fracture and infectious)
Different forces cause different fractures
Compression, tension , rotation , shear , bending
normal , transverse olbique , spiral , comminuated , avulsion , impacted , fissure , greenstick
Non displaced fracture
when a bone has cracked and has the broken pieces in alignment. the injury does not show from the outside but shows a line or crack in the xray and is painful
displaced fracture
where the two ends of the broken bone are seperated from one another. this kind of fracture usually results in deformity in the affected limbs
also known as reduced
_types of fractures _
Transverse
a break forms across the bone or perpendicular to the bone. it usually occurs when there is a strong blow to the bone or due to overuse.
_types of fractures _
Oblique
a fracture in which the line of break runs obliquely to the axis of the bone.
example of this would be jumping and moving your foot to the side
types of fractures
comminuted
the bone is splintered and is broken into a number of peices. this type of fracture is at times reffered to as multi fragmentary fracture.
this happens mainly to older people with brittle bones at risk of osteoporosis
types of fractures
spiral
on xray spiral fractures appear to be parallel to the bone axis and the outline of factures is akin to a corkscrew. the fracture results in a discontinuity of the bone. often confused with oblique fractures.
sheering force twists the bone such as in base ball .
types of fractures
greenstick
cracking of bones that have been exposed to trauma, which is a common injury in children. this is due to a childs bone being soft and flexible , predisposing them to the fracture instead of complete breakage
_types of fractures _
avulsion
refers to a fracture that occurs when a joint capsule , ligament or muscle insertion or orgin is pulled from the bone. this is usually as a result of a sprain , dislocation , or strong contracture of the muscle againist resistance
ligaments hold the skeletal system in place, it pulls the tendon away.
example inversion of the ankle , attachment gets stressed and pulled ligament
type of fracture
fissure
type of bone fracture with minimum trauma to the affected bone and the surrounding tissue. also known as hairline fracture
_type of fracture _
impacted
a fracture where the bone ends are driven into each other. this is commonly seen in arm fractures in children and is sometimes known as buckle fracture. forces applied to both ends
_types of fracture _
stress
a stress fracture is an overuse injury. it occurs when muscles become fatigued and are unable to absorb added shock. eventually , the fatigued muscle transfers the overload of stress to the bone causing tiny cracks called a stress fracture.
Healing process of bone
immediate = hematoma = unstable
24-48 hr= undifferentiated mesenchymal cells and neovascularzation = unstable
36 hr = earliest woven bone = unstable
4-6 week=primary callus of woven bone and possible hyaline cartilage
months to years = modeling of woven bone into lamellar bone = stable
osteoblasts make bone and osteoclasts take away
* check diagram*
_Medical procedures to aid the healing process _
internal fixation
a broken bone must be carefully fixed in position and supported until it is strong enough to bear weight. internal fixation allows short hospital stays , enables individuals to return to function earlier and reduces incidence of improper healing and healing in improper position.
used with screws to screw back bone together.
medical prodcedures to aid the healing process
external fixation
surgical treatment used to stablize bone and soft tissues at a distance from operative or injury focus. they provide unobstructed access to the relevant skeletal and soft tissue structure for their inital assessment and also for secondary interventions needed to restore bony continuity and a functional soft tissue cover.
_medical procedures to aid healing process _
casting
a plaster or fiberglass cast is the most common. most broken bones can heal sucessfully once they have been repositioned and a cast has been applied to keep the broken ends in proper positon while they heal.
moblize above and below bone joints
medical procedures to aid healing process casting
splinting and bracing
splinting or bracing are used to stabilize fractures of the upper and lower extremity, providing comfort and maintaining proper bone alignment.
splinting is typically a temporary measure for a fracture and used until swelling has subsided and a cast can be applied.
bracing can be used for duration of fracture however is typically used in conjunction with internal fixation
