Fractures Flashcards
What is a fracture?
Partial or complete break in bone
Prinicples of x-ray reporting of fractures
Where
Type
Position
Fracture x-ray: where
What bone?
Which side?
Where on bone?
Fracture x-ray: type
Complete
- transverse
- linear
- oblique
- spiral
- comminuted
Incomplete
- greenstick
Fracture x-ray: position
Of the distal fragment
Translation
Angulation
Shortening
Rotation
How do fractures heal?
Secondary
Primary
What is primary fracture healing?
Fragments in contact with each other
Bones fixed together
No callus formation
Indications for primary healing
Displaced intra-articular fractures
Non-unions
Unstable
What is secondary fracture healing?
Gap between bone fragments
Natural
Callus formation
How to fractures heal?
- Haematoma formation
- blood clot forms
- granulation tissue arises - Soft callus formation
- procallus replaced by fibrocartillaginous callus
- bony trabeculae start to develop - hard callus formation
- endochrondal and intramembranous ossification
- give rise to bony callus
- spongy/cancellous bone - Bone remodelling
- cancellous bone replaced by cortical bone
Principles of fracture management
Reduce
Hold
Rehabilitate
Fracture reduction
Restoration of anatomical alignment of a fracture
Allows for
- stoppage of bleeding at site
- reduction in traction of soft tissues
- reduces swelling
- reduces pressure on nerves/blood vessels
Clinical requirements
- analgesia
Fracture holding
Immobilisation of a fracture
Splints / plaster casts
Fracture rehabilitation
Period of physiotherapy
