Compound (open) FractureThis is a featured page

Name of Injury
Compound Fracture or Open Fracture


Description of Injury

Fractures happen when bone cannot withstand the outside force that is applied to it. An open fracture is a fracture in which broken bone fragments tear through soft tissue and break through an open wound in the skin. 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. When a broken bone penetrates the skin there is a need for immediate treatment, due to the high risk of infection.Compound Fracture of the Medial Meniscus Compound Fracture Dislocation of AnkleSimple vs. Compound
Symptoms include: severe pain, swelling and bruising, numbness, coldness, tingling, lots of blood loss, but the only real way to know if you suffer a compound fracture is getting an xray of the site.

Skeletal Elements Involved

Arm Compound Fracture Resolved X-Ray of Compound Fracture
  • Any bone that has the potential to break the skin could be involved in a Compound Fracture.
A child's fracture would cause more attention than an adult fracture. Children's bones are still in the growing process therefore, it is a more serious matter. Adult fractures are categorize by things such as: direction and position.

Muscle Elements Involved

  • Any muscle connected or associated with a bone could be involved.
  • The muscles around the area where the fracture takes palce may become flaccid, or limp and lifeless.
  • The displacement of the bone fragments on a long bone, like a femur, can lead to severe muscle spasms.


Ligaments/Tendons/Other

  • Any ligament or tendon attached to a bone could potentially be involved.
  • The nerve function may be temporarily lost.


Cause of Injury

  • Compound fractures are typically a result of severe trauma.
  • Usually these occur in high impact sports such as rodeos, rugby, and football, or motorcycle accidents.
  • Skiing, snowmobiling, or falling from a high ledge.
Football Ankle Compound Fracture Post Motor Cycle Accident - Compound FractureCompound (open) Fracture - The Anatomy Wiki



Treatment

  • The only real form of treatment is surgery, but one may be placed in a traction up until the surgery can be preformed.
  • Possible methods of repairing a compound open fracture with surgery are steel screws, steel plates and steel screws, or steel rods.
  • Treatment for these types of breaks is extensive and involves multiple surgeries and prolonged use of antibiotics. These injuries lead to a long recovery time due to the extent of the injury to the bone/muscles effected.
  • The break itself should take about four months to heal, but full recovery requires the muscles and joints to heal as well which could take many additional months.
  • After surgery the need for physical therapy to regain muscle strength and loosen joints is necessary. This may take many months depending on the extent of injury or fracture.


Famous Sports Figures Afflicted

Compound (open) Fracture - The Anatomy Wiki
Joe Theismann,a quarterback for the Redskins, broke his right tibia during a football game in 1985 against the Giants.


Eduardo Da Silva Dudu
Eduardo Da Silva Dudu, a Croatian soccer player, was kicked in his shin during a soccer game resulting in a compound fracture in February of 2008.
.


Vocabulary


fracture- break in the bone
trauma- a body wound or shock produced by sudden physical injury
femur- (or thigh bone) the most proximal bone in the leg and is the largest and longest bone
tibia- (or shin bone) the larger and stronger of the two bones below the knee
antibiotics- a substance that terminates or slows down the growth of bacteria

References & Links

http://www.anatomyatlases.org/firstaid/ThighInjury.shtml
http://orthopedics.about.com/cs/brokenbones/g/openfracture.htm
http://www.medterms.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=8085
http://www.limbcenter.com/disorders/index.asp


SURhinehart
SURhinehart
Latest page update: made by SURhinehart , Apr 23 2009, 8:13 PM EDT (about this update About This Update SURhinehart Edited by SURhinehart

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kbakkegard Moving the page 0 Mar 19 2009, 4:05 PM EDT by kbakkegard
Thread started: Mar 19 2009, 4:05 PM EDT  Watch
You are off to a good start. But, please move your page under the sports injury tab found under the system by system tab.
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