Unit 3 Bone Fractures Flashcards
What type of bone fractures occur during youth?
More from exceptional trauma than twists and smashes
i. e. Football, skiing or car accidents
Why do bones fracture more in old age?
Bones thin and weaken, so fractures occur more often
What is the difference between a closed (simple) fracture and an open (compound) fracture?
In a closed fracture the bone breaks cleanly and does not penetrate the skin.
In an open fracture the bone ends penetrate through the skin.
What are the different types of bone fractures?
- Comminuted
- Compression
- Depressed
- Impacted
- Spiral
- Greenstick
What happens to the bone in a comminuted fracture?
The bone breaks into 3 or more fragments
What happens to the bone in a compression fracture?
Bone is crushed
What happens to the bone in a depressed fracture?
Broken bone portion is pressed inward
What happens to the bone in an impacted fracture?
Broken bone ends are forced into each other
What happens to the bone in a spiral fracture?
Ragged break occurs when excessive twisting forces are applied to a bone
What happens to the bone in a greenstick fracture?
The bone breaks incompletely, much the way a green twig breaks
Who is more susceptible to comminuted fractures?
Older people whose bones are more brittle
Where do compression fractures occur most frequently?
In porous bones (osteoporitic bones of older people
Where do depressed bone fractures occur?
The skull
When do impacted bone fractures typically occur?
When someone tries to break a fall with their arms
Where are spiral fractures common?
In sports fractures
Why are greenstick fractures more common in children!
Their bones are more flexible than adults
Why do greenstick fractures occur morein children?
There bones are more flexible
How are broken bones treated?
- The bones are realigned through a process called reduction
- The bone is immobiliized by a cast or traction to allow the healong process to begin
- Healing takes 6-8 weeks (larger bone take longer, older people take longer.
What is the difference between open and closed reduction?
In closed reduction the bones are coaxed back into their nirmal position by the physician’s hands.
In open reduction surgery is performed and th bones ends are secured together using pins or wires.
What are the four steps in the healing of a broken bone?
- Hematoma forms
- Fibrocartilage callus forms
- Bony callus forms
- Bone Remodeling occurs
What is a hematoma?
A blood filled swelling caused by blood vessels that are ruptured when a bone is broken
Where does the fibrocartilage callusmoriginate from?
The endosteum and periosteum
What are the two events of tissue repair fibrocartilage callus formation?
- Growth of new capillaries
- Connective tissue cells form internal and external masses of repair tissue that for fibrocartilage callus
What is the fibrocartilage calus composed of?
Cartilage matrix, bone matrix, collagen fibers
In the healing of a broken bone, what formation acts as a “ splint”?
Fibrocartilage callus
How does the bony callus form?
- More osteoblasts and osteoclasts migrate to the area and multiply
- Fibrocartilage callus is gradually replaced by the bony callus made of spongy bone
