Fractures Flashcards
What is a fracture?
a break in the continuity of bone - not necessarily break in half
What is a simple fracture?
a closed fracture, skin is intact
What is a compound fracture?
an open fracture, the bone pierces the skin
What is a greenstick fracture? What group is this type of fracture common in?
- one broken and one bent surface
- common in children (immature bone that is more flexible)
What is a pathologic fracture?
fracture due to a bone disorder (ex. osteoporosis)
What is a comminuted fracture? What is another name for a comminuted fracture? Where does it occur more commonly?
- multiple breaks at one site, bone broken into smaller pieces
- burst fracture
- commonly occurs at end of bone
What is an oblique fracture? What type of force usually causes this type of fracture?
- break at 45 degrees
- usually due to a twisting force
What is a longitudinal fracture?
a longitudinal break line
What is a bone chip?
a small fragment near a joint
What is a displaced fracture?
fracture where the bone is separated at the fracture line (bone ends move apart to the side, or away from each other)
What causes a fracture?
- excessive force
- minimal force applied in a direction the bone was not made to withstand
= force overload on the bone
What are manifestations of a fracture?
- pain
- swelling
- deformity
- loss of function (not able to mobilize, weight-bear)
- there is ALWAYS hemorrhage (even though it may not be visible)
- there is likely accompanying soft tissue injury
How is a fracture treated?
- reduction (re-align the bones)
- immobilize/fixate (cast, pins, brace) to facilitate healing
- preserve and restore function (physio, TTWB?)
What are the four stages of bone healing?
1) hematoma formation
2) soft callus formation
3) bony callus formation
4) remodelling
How long can a bone take to heal?
takes a long time, can be 6 months or up to 24 months
What occurs during hematoma formation in bone healing?
- bleeding > forms clot > seals and stabilizes site
- framework for influx of inflammatory cells
- framework for capillary buds
- source of signalling molecules that initiate cellular events important for healing
- 48-72 hours to form
What occurs during soft callus formation in bone healing?
- new capillaries infiltrate (angiogenesis)
- type of granulation tissue forms
- fibroblasts appear, produce fibrocartilage
- appearance of collagen
- not strong enough to bear weight
What occurs during bony callus formation in bone healing?
- fibrocartilage converted to spongy bone trabeculae
What occurs during remodelling in bone healing?
- compact bone replaces spongy bone at periphery
- dead cells removed
- excess bone on outside and in medullary cavity removed
- mostly back to normal shape, but slightly thickened
