Fractures
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A fracture is a broken bone. There are different types of fractures depending on factors like the energy of the event and the strength of the bone. Key types include greenstick fractures, where one side of the bone is bent instead of completely broken; comminuted fractures, where the bone is shattered into many fragments; and compound fractures, where the broken bone pierces the skin. Compound fractures require immediate surgery to clean the wound and realign the bone to prevent infection, and they generally take longer to heal than other types of fractures.
Fractures
- 1. Bone FracturesPresented By: Adrienne Moore
- 2. What is a Fracture?A fracture is simply a broken bone. Despite what you may have heard, a broken bone is not worse than a fracture, they both mean the same thing. In fact, the word fracture, according to the Oxford English Dictionary is defined as "the act of being broken." There are different types of fractures and broken bones, but these words mean the same thing!.
- 3. What Causes Fractures?Fractures happen because an area of bone is not able to support the energy placed on it (quite obvious, but it becomes more complicated). Therefore, there are two critical factors in determining why a fracture occurs: the energy of the event
- 4. the strength of the bone
- 5. The energy can being acute, high-energy (e.g. car crash), or chronic, low-energy (e.g. stress fracture).
- 6. The bone strength can either be normal or decreased (e.g. osteoporosis). A very simple problem, the broken bone, just became a whole lot more complicated! StatisticsTypes of FracturesGreenstick Fractures
- 8. Compound FractureGreenstick FractureCommonly found in children
- 9. Because a child's bones are much more pliable than adult bone, an incomplete, or 'greenstick,' fracture may occur. A "greenstick fracture" means that one side of the fracture has broken and one side is bent; therefore it is classified as an incomplete break.Greenstick FractureThe name for a greenstick fracture comes from the analogy of breaking a young, fresh tree branch. The broken branch snaps on one side (the outer side of the bend), while the inner side is bent, and still in continuity. Most often the greenstick fracture must be bent back into the proper position (called a "reduction") and then casted for about six weeks. Greenstick fractures can take a long time to heal because they tend to occur in the middle, slower growing parts of bone.
- 10. Treatment of Greenstick FracturesTreating a greenstick fracture requires reducing the fracture, typically by pulling the bone apart slightly and then pushing it into place to straighten it out. To ensure that the fracture heals, the doctor will put the affected limb into a cast, immobilizing it so that the bone can grow back. Healing times for greenstick fractures are often very quick, and these fractures are typically not as painful as some other types of fractures, especially once the fracture has been reduced. Anti-inflammatory drugs may be prescribed to bring down swelling at the fracture site.Risks InvolvedThe main risk of a greenstick fracture is that it could go undiagnosed. It is often possible to put weight on the limb, for example, although it may be painful, and the fracture may be dismissed as a simple hard blow, resulting in some swelling but no lasting damage. If a child falls or takes a serious blow and complains of pain which seems a bit extreme, you may want to go to the hospital to rule a greenstick fracture out, especially if the area of the injury swells rapidly. Failure to treat the fracture could result in a very painful infection and permanent damage to the site. Comminuted FracturesFracture in which the bone is shattered, splintered, or crushed into many small pieces of fragmentsComminuted FractureComminuted fractures are also sometimes known as multi-fragmentary fractures. This type of fracture often involves crushing or splintering of the bone, and it can occur anywhere along the length of the bone. A comminuted fracture is most common in elderly people or in people with conditions which weaken the bones, such as osteogenesisimperfectaor cancer. A comminuted fracture can also occur as the result of tremendous force, such as a car accident or a severe fall.Symptoms of Comminuted FracturesLike many other types of fracture, comminuted fractures are associated with very distinctive symptoms which usually lead people to seek medical treatment. The patient usually experiences tremendous pain at the site of the fracture, and he or she may even pass out at the time that the break occurs as a result of the pain. The area around the break will also swell, and it may become warm to the touch. Typically the patient cannot bear any weight on the fracture without experiencing significant pain.Treatment/ComminutedThis type of fracture is usually easy to diagnose with an X-ray to look at the site of the suspected fracture. When a comminuted fracture is X-rayed, the doctor can use the image to gather more about the orientation of the pieces of bone and the location of the fracture to determine the best possible treatment. It may be necessary to pin the fracture with surgery so that the pieces will have a chance to knit together.
- 11. Compound FracturesWhat is it?A fracture in which the bone is sticking through the skin. Also called an open fracture. Compound Fracture Cont.When a bone breaks and penetrates through the skin it is known as a compound fracture. Compound fractures are usually caused due to high impact injuries like sports injuries, heavy falls, car crashes, and so on. This is generally considered to be a more serious form of fracture, since it requires immediate treatment. Usually, an operation is required to quickly cleanse the area and realign the bone. In addition, because of the higher chances of infection, a compound fracture is more difficult to heal. Therefore, on sustaining a compound fracture, it is important to seek early treatment. Emergency treatment generally involves the administration of antibiotics, the fracture site being cleansed, and the broken bones stabilized. How is a compound fracture treated?Once the fracture has been diagnosed, the treatment of a compound fracture involves the realignment of the ends of the fractured bones, and immobilization of the fracture, either by fixing the bone internally or by using external splints. The goal of the treatment being, assisting the bone to recover completely in movement, strength, and sensitivity.
- 12. Immediate surgery is usually required for compound fractures. Since the broken bone comes out of the skin, the affected bone can be highly susceptible to infection due to it being exposed to bacteria and debris. Once the bone get infected, it is usually difficult to heal, often requiring a number of surgeries, antibiotic treatment for a prolonged period, along with other problems that last a long time. Hence, it is very important to get early treatment when a compound fracture occurs. In fact, in spite of early treatment, infections of the bone are quite a common occurrence in people with a compound fracture. How Long does a Compound Fracture take to Heal?The healing time varies according to the severity of the fracture, and the health and age of the patient. The callus of healing bone usually can be seen on X-ray in about six weeks in adults, and earlier in children. However, this first mineralized bone is not as strong as mature bone, which slowly forms by a process of remodeling, which can take up to 18months. Usually, compound fractures take much longer to heal, due to the amount of injury that the bone and the surrounding tissue sustains, and also because of the higher rate of complications caused by non-union of the joints and infections.
- 13. Types of FracturesGreenstick Fractures