Orthopedic Fractures

In orthopedic medicine, fractures are classified as closed or open (compound) and simple or multi-fragmentary (formerly comminuted).

Closed fractures are those in which the skin is intact, while open (compound) fractures involve wounds that communicate with the fracture and may expose bone to contamination. Open injuries carry an elevated risk of infection; they require antibiotic treatment and usually urgent surgical treatment (debridement). This involves removal of all dirt, contamination, and dead tissue.

Simple fractures are fractures that only occur along one line, splitting the bone into two pieces, while multi-fragmentary fractures involve the bone splitting into multiple pieces. A simple, closed fracture is much easier to treat and has a much better prognosis than an open, contaminated fracture. Other considerations in fracture care are displacement (fracture gap) and angulation. If angulation or displacement is large, reduction (manipulation) of the bone may be required and, in adults, frequently requires surgical care. These injuries may take longer to heal than injuries without displacement or angulation.

Another type of bone fracture is a compression fracture. An example of a compression fracture is when the front portion of a vertebra in the spine collapses due to osteoporosis, a medical condition which causes bones to become brittle and susceptible to fracture (with or without trauma).

Other types of fracture are:
• Complete Fracture - A fracture in which bone fragments separate completely.
• Incomplete Fracture - A fracture in which the bone fragments are still partially joined.
• Linear Fracture - A fracture that is parallel to the bone's long axis.
• Transverse Fracture - A fracture that is at a right angle to the bone's long axis.
• Oblique Fracture - A fracture that is diagonal to a bone's long axis.
• Compression Fracture - A fracture that usually occurs in the vertebrae.
• Spiral Fracture - A fracture where at least one part of the bone has been twisted.
• Comminuted Fracture - A fracture causing many fragments.
• Compacted Fracture - A fracture caused when bone fragments are driven into each other
• Open Fracture - A fracture when the bone reaches the skin

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bone_fracture

Recent Keyword Searches: broken bone in foot - no cast, tingling under a cast - how long to wait, bone casts hand, how much compensation for a broken thumb, how to tell if wrist is broken, setting broken bone in hand, rib fracture, side effects of a cast for broken ankle, broken thumb 3 weeks cast, using stem cells to heal broken bones 2007