intro to fractures Flashcards
what is a fracture?
loss of continuity of the substance of bone
what are the different types of fractures?
- open / compound fractures
- closed/ simple fractures
-undisplaced fractures
-displaced fractures
compare complete vs incomplete fracture
complete fracture - fracture extends all the way across the bone and breaks it into 2 or more pieces
incomplete fracture - fracture does not involve all the way through and only involves a portion of the bone
what is an open or compound fracture?
when the fracture is protruding into the skin, this is common in certain areas of the body when you have less skin coverage and less adipose tissue eg the tibia
what risks can happen as a result of open or compound fractures?
as the skin is open, there is more risk for infection and also blood loss
what is a closed or simple fracture?
-when the bone does not protrude the skin - ie the skin is intact
- as the skin isn’t broken, there is less risk of infection and bleeding is internal
what is an undisplaced fracture?
there is a fracture- but the 2 ends of the bone still remain in alignment - requires conservative treatment rather than surgical
what is a displaced fracture?
a fracture where the bone ends do not meet and realignment through surgery (called reduction) is required
what is a traverse fracture?
fracture that occurs at a right angle - ie the bone is broken perpendicular to its length (straight line that runs in opposite direction to the bone)
what is an oblique fracture?
when the fracture occurs at an angle that is greater than 30 degrees
what is a spiral fracture?
-when the line of the fracture curves around
-bone is broken in a twisting motion
what is a comminuted fracture?
a fracture involving 3 or more fragments
very unstable
may contain butterfly segment
what is a compression/crush fracture? and give example of where in the body this can happen
a fracture involving cancellous or spongy bone eg the vertebrae
what is an impacted fracture?
-when one fragment one bone is driven into another
-stable fracture and heals quickly
what is a greenstick fracture?
a bend in an immature bone eg in children
what is a hairline fracture?
-a fracture without displacement
-caused by trauma
what is an avulsion fracture?
-when a bone fragment isn pulled away from its main body by muscle that is attached to it
what is an intra-articular fracture?
-a fracture within a joint
-may have bleeding within the joint
what is bleeding within the joint called?
haemarthrosis
what is a depressed fracture?
Sharp localised blow depresses fragment of cortical bone
how is a bone injured?
- sudden injury
-fatigue
-pathological
what is direct trauma?
when the stresses exceed the limit of strength of bone
eg falling on the ground or being hit by a moving object