FracturesBy Shama Rani Paul

Definition

A fracture, also referred to as a bone fracture, is a medical condition where the structural continuity of the bone is broken and can be very painful.

Causes

Sudden trauma (Direct or Indirect) Stress or fatigue-repetitive stress (athletes,

dancers, army recruits) Pathological disorders (osteoporosis,

Paget’s Disease, bone tumor)

Complete fracture - the bone snaps into two or more parts Incomplete fracture - the bone cracks but does not break all the

way through

What are the symptoms of a bone fracture?

Signs and symptoms of a fracture include:Swelling or bruising over a bone.Deformity of an arm or leg.Pain in the injured area that gets worse when the area is moved or pressure is applied.Loss of function in the injured area.In compound fractures, bone protruding from the skin.

Fracture Displacement

Displacement of fractures is defined in terms of the abnormal position of the distal fracture fragment in relation to the proximal bone.

Types of fracture displacement include - angulation, rotation, change of bone length, and loss of alignment along its long axis.

The severity and nature of displacement are key factors when considering fracture management.

Hip Fracture

Also called as proximal femoral fracture Hip joint is a ball-and-socket joint Allows the upper leg to bend and rotate at

the pelvis. commonly occur from a fall or from a

direct blow to the side of the hip including osteoporosis, stress injuries, cancer that weakens the bone and make the hip more susceptible to break

Types of Hip Fracture Type of fracture depends on what area of the upper

femur is involved.

1-Intracapsular Fracture

2-Intertrochanteric Fracture

3-Subtrochanteric Fracture

Intracapsular Fracture: These fractures occur at the level of the neck and the head of the femur, and are generally within the capsule and may have loss of blood supply to the bone.

Intertrochanteric Fracture: occurs between the neck of the femur and a lower bony prominence called the lesser trochanter. Generally cross in the area between the lesser trochanter and the greater trochanter and tends to have better blood supply to the fracture pieces.

Subtrochanteric Fracture: occurs below the lesser trochanter, in a region that is between the lesser trochanter and an area approximately 2 1/2 inches below and may be broken into several pieces.

Note on Hip Fracture

Clinically and radiologically detects fractures.

common clinical signs of a shortened and externally rotated leg may be absent if the fracture is not displaced. In this case the X-ray may not show an obvious fracture. Repeat X-rays, CT or MRI may be required if pain persists.

Complications of Fractures

Stress Diffused

Coagulopathy Respiratory

Dysfunction Crush Syndrome

Venous Thrombosis & Pulmonary Embolism

Fat Embolism Gas Gangrene Tetanus

Complications

Blood loss – bones have a rich blood supply. A bad break can make you lose a large amount of blood

Injuries to organs, tissues or surrounding structures – for example the brain can be damaged by a skull fracture. Chest organs can be injured if a rib breaks

Stunted growth of the bone – if a child’s long bone breaks close to the joint where the growth plates are found.

References

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/173312.php

http://www.webmd.boots.com/a-to-z-guides/bone-fractures-types-symptoms-prevention

http://radiologymasterclass.co.uk/tutorials/musculoskeletal/trauma/trauma_x-ray_page3.html

http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=A00392

http://www.slideshare.net/MohdHanafi1/complication-of-fracture?next_slideshow=1

THANK YOU

…..and sorry if it was too long