Specific fracture management Flashcards
whats the difference between trauma and orthopaedics (not important)
trauma - advanced trauma life support, reduce hold rehabilitate
orthopaedics - history, examination ,look feel move and investigations
presentation of a fracture
pain swelling crepitus deformity adjacent structural injury - nerves, vessels, ligaments, tendons
investigations for a fracture?
gold standard X ray/radiograph
CT scan
bone scan
MRI scan
how to describe a fracture X ray
location - bone and part of bone pieces - simple/comminuted pattern - transverse/oblique/spiral displaced/undisplaced translated/angulated XYZ plane - varus valgus
what is fracture translation?
lateral movement of bones
proximal/distal
anterior/posterior
medial/lateral
types of angulation of fractures?
internal/external rotation
dorsal/volar (Z plane)
varus/valgus (X plane)
when is a fracture classified as varus or valgus?
varus - distal part of bone more medial
valgus - distal part of bone more lateral
what is the broad process of healing?
bleeding
inflammation
new tissue formation
remodelling
what happens in the inflammatory stage of healing?
haematoma formation
release of cytokines
granulation tissue and blood vessel formation
what happens in the repair stage of healing?
1 - soft callus formation (type ii collagen - cartilage)
2 - hard callus transformation (type i collagen - bone)
what is wolffs law?
bone grows/remodels according to stresses put on it
what is intramembranous ossification for fracture healing? aka primary bone healing
mesenchymal cell - osteoblast produces woven bone straight away
results in stable fractures
when bone ends are still together
what is endochondral ossification in fracture healing? aka secondary bone healing
chondral precursor then bone cells migrate to location and produce woven bone
therefore means more callus and less stability than intramembranous
when is healing visible on an x ray?
7-10 days
what are the concepts of general fracture management?
reduce
hold/fixate
rehabilitate
choices for fracture reduction?
closed - manipulation or traction (skin/skeletal traction)
open - full exposure or mini incision
choices for fracture holding?
closed - plaster, traction (skin/skeletal)
fixation
choices for fracture fixation?
internal - intramedullary (pins nails) or extramedullary (plates pins)
external - monoplanar or multiplanar (all way round)
what are the concepts of fracture rehabilitation?
use
move
strengthen
weight bear
general complications of fractures
fat embolus
deep vein thrombosis
infection
prolonged immobility (UTI, chest infections, sores)