Fractures Flashcards
Define fracture
Any damage to a bone
What are the classifications of a fracture?
Completeness, orientation, position, skin
Completeness
Complete: broken all the way through
Incomplete: not broken all the way through
Orientation
Linear: parallel to the long axis of the bone (along the bone)
Transverse: perpendicular to long axis of bone (across the bone)
Position
Nondisplaced: bone ends in their normal positions
Displaced: bone ends are not their normal position
Skin
Compound (open): bone ends penetrate the skin (infection skin)
Simple (closed): bone ends do not penetrate the skin
What are the common types of fracture?
Comminuted, compression, spiral, epiphyseal, depressed, greensick
Comminuted
Bone fragments are into three or more pieces
- Particularly common in the aged, whose bones are more brittle
Compression
Bone is crushed
- Commonly caused by falling, particularly in porous bones
Spiral
A ragged break occurs when excessive twisting focus applies to the bone
- Common sporting injury
Epiphyseal
Epiphysis separates from diaphysis along the epiphyseal plate
- Tends to occur when cartilage cells are dying and the bone is calcifying
Depressed
The broken bone portion is pressed inward
- Typical skull fracture
Greenstick
Bones break incompletely; one side breaks and the other bends
- common in children, as they have a higher collagen percentage in bones