open fractures
Bone pierces skin
Open fractures are bone breaks where the broken bone pierces through the skin or an external wound exposes the fracture site.
Also called compound fractures, they carry high risk of infection and typically require surgical treatment: The accident resulted in open fractures of both legs.
Contrasted with closed fractures, where skin remains intact.
- bonesRigid internal support structure
- breakInterrupt continuity
- dirty woundContaminated bodily injury
- wound careTreatment of bodily injuries
- painfulCausing hurt or ache
bone sticking out · trauma · road rash · infection risk · injury · orthopedics · bone break · debridement · bone healing · nonunion · malunion · splinting · metal plates · tetanus · surgical scrub · emergency room · compartment syndrome · bone grafting
open fracturessimple fractures
Breaks without piercing skin
hairline fractures · stress fractures · microfractures · clean breaks
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