Thursday, November 11, 2010

Bone Fractures


Comminuted Fracture
 Comminuted fractures tend to be fractures that broke into three or more peices, the one above is more like 6 peices. It is common in the elderly since their bones are often brittle and weak.

Complete Fracture
 Complete fractures are fractures where the bone is broken all the way through rather then ones like greenstick that are still connected.
Compound Fracture
Compund fractures are the nastier of the bunch, compund meaning that the bone breaks through the surface of the skin. Common when there is an extreme force on a section of the bone and it snaps quickly and sends one end up.
Compression Fracture
A compression fracture is when the bone is crushed rather then broken. It is common in people who have osteoporotic bones, or those that have been subjected to to extreme trauma in a fall.


Depression Fracture
A depression fracture is typically in the skull. Its when a broken bone is pressed inward. The inward press on a skull also has a good chance to leave a compound fracture too.
Displaced Fracture
A displaced fracture is when bone ends are out of normal alignment and usually have to be set again.


Epiphyseal Fracture
Epiphyseal fractures is when the Epiphsis seperates from the diaphysis along the epiphyseal plate. Tends to occur when cartilage cells are dying and calcifaication of the matrix is occuring.


Greenstick Fracture
Greenstick is a very common type of fracture in children since thier bones are not fully developed and still bend a bit. The bone breaks incompletely, only one side of the shaft breaks;the other side bends.


Incomplete Fracture
Incomplete fracture is when the bone is not broken all the way through, this is basically the same as a greenstick fracture.


Linear Fracture
Linear fractures is when a fracture occurs along or parallel to the long axis of the bone.


Non-Displaced Fracture
Non-Displaced Fracture is like a hairline fracture, the bone doesnt completely break and it remains in its normal position.


Simple Fracture
Simple fractures are very common, its just when a fracture occurs and the bone doesn't penetrate the skin.


Spiral Fracture
Spiral fractures are very common with sports injury's. A break occurs in a twisting motion and ragged ends are made.


Transverse Fracture
Transverse fractures are fractures that are through the bone. Unlike Linear fractures they occur perpendicular to the long axis of the bone rather then parallel to it.