Unit 2'

2. Impacted Fractures
 A Fracture that consists of bone fragments pushed into each
other.
 These fractures are also known as buckle fractures and are
most common in children, mainly in the arms
 Impacted fractures happen more when a person falls and
or have other impact-type accidents.
 An intense collision with something harder than the bone
is necessary to cause this type of fracture.

3. Comminuted Fracture
 A fracture in which the bone is shattered, splintered,
or crushed into small pieces
 Comminuted fractures are caused by an extremely
hard sudden impact or a heavy crushing weight;
splintering the bone into several pieces.

4. Most Common Fractures

5. Compound Fracture
1. A fracture where the skin has
been broken through to the
fracture.
2. Also called an open fracture
 Compound
fractures are
generally
treated with
surgery to
clean the site
of injury and
stabilize the
fracture.
 In order for an injury to be classified as a compound fracture, the outside air
(and dirt and bacteria) must be able to get to the fracture site without a barrier
of skin or soft-tissue

7. Fracture Facts
 Bones break when they cannot withstand a force or trauma applied to them. Sometimes
the bones are so weak that force may be just gravity, like compression fractures of the
back in the elderly.
 Fractures may be complicated by damage to nearby blood vessels, nerves and muscles
and joints.
 Children's fractures may be more difficult to diagnose because their bones lack enough
calcium to be seen on X-ray and because growth plates in the bones may disguise or hide
the fracture.
 Diagnosis of a fracture includes a history and physical examination. X-rays are often
taken. Occasionally, CT or MRI is used to a hidden fracture or provide more information
regarding the damage to the bone and adjacent tissues.
 Fractures of the skull, spine and ribs have their own unique diagnosis and treatment
issues.

8. Treatments
Nonsurgical treatment of
 Surgical treatment of fractures
fractures
 Metal plates may be screwed into the bone, to
• Many fractures can be
prevent it from moving . treated without surgery.
 Metal rod may be placed inside the center of a • Treatment for these
long bone to help reattach two ends of a fractures includes casts or
fracture and to maintain alignment. splints that fit around the
 Pins and rods may be placed in your bones limb after the fracture .
and continue outside your skin, where they • Casts are very commonly
can be attached to a metal cage. This allows
used for mild or
for slight adjustments to be made to the
moderately severe fractures
position of a bone as it heals
of the extremities