Intro to Trauma Flashcards
What is an open fracture?
Fx that breaks the skin
(AKA compound Fx)
What is the clinical significance of an open fracture?
concern for infection (osteomyelitis)
What is a closed fracture?
Fx does not break skin
What is a comminuted fracture?
1 bone in 3 or more pieces
What type of fracture is associated with a butterfly fragment?
comminuted
What is a segmental fracture?
single bone is broken in multiple places (comminuted), separating a segment of bone
What is an avulsion fracture?
tearing away of bone fragment by ligament/tendon/muscle
What is the term for the site where a tendon/ligament plugs into a bone?
enthesis
What is an impaction fracture?
portion of bone is driven into adjacent segment, appearing as white line instead of black radiographically
Name 2 location-specific diagnoses of impaction fractures
- compression Fx (vertebral body, calcaneus)
- depressed Fx (tibial plateau, frontal bone)
Name 2 types of stress fractures
- fatigue Fx
- insufficiency Fx
What causes a vertical/longitudinal fracture?
convex meets concave, causing concave to fail longitudinally
What is a pathologic fracture?
Fx through diseased, weakened bone
What is the most common orientation of pathologic fractures?
transverse
What is the term for spontaneous collapse of a vertebral body, creating the appearance of a flattened vertebral body?
vertebra plana
(patho Fx)
What is a fatigue fracture?
abnormal stress on normal bone, resulting in mechanical failure
What is an insufficiency fracture?
normal stress on abnormal bone, resulting in mechanical failure
(form of pathologic Fx)
What is the radiographic latent period in the extremities?
7-10 days
What is the radiographic latent period in the spine?
21 days
What are the possible radiographic findings of a stress fracture?
- soft tissue swelling
- solid periosteal lifting
- white line (callus) perpendicular to wt-bearing trabecula
What are your next steps if you suspect a stress fracture in the 5th metatarsal, but radiographs look normal 5 days post-injury?
- if not vital, rest & re-x-ray in 2wks
- if vital, MRI or bone scan
What are the advantages of MRI?
- more specific
- allows soft tissue evaluation
- no radiation
What is the “Honda sign?”
vertical ala + horizontal upper sacral insufficiency Fx
(eg. elderly pt w/ SI pain not getting better w/ adjustments)
What is a pseudofracture?
not a true Fx; zones of unmineralized osteoid which appears as radiolucent line transverse to long bone axis (dark line part of the way through bone)
What are other names for pseudofracture?
- looser lines
- milkman syndrome
- umbau zonen
What is the list of differential diagnoses for pseudofracture?
Paget disease
Rickets
Osteomalacia
Fibrous dysplasia
What is an occult fracture?
radiographically invisible Fx
What are the most common sites of occult fractures?
- scaphoid
- tibia
- ribs
What is a stable fracture?
does not (or unlikely to) move during healing process