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Bone Fractures
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A bone fracture is a break in a bone. The soft tissue surrounding the break may also be injured. Most bone fractures are the result of injuries from falls or vehicle crashes, but fractures can also be caused by certain diseases. The May 5, 2004, issue of JAMA includes an article about external fixation (see below) to treat bone fractures.
CAUSES OF BONE FRACTURES
- Injuries from falls, sports, or vehicle crashes
- Osteoporosis—weakening of the bones associated with aging
- Tumors that grow on or near bones
- Prolonged walking or running—sometimes called stress fractures
DESCRIPTIONS OF BONE FRACTURES
- Simple—the bone is broken in one place.
- Comminuted—the bone is broken in several places with at least 3 bone fragments.
- Open—the skin is injured exposing the broken bone (also called "compound").
- Closed—the skin is intact over the broken bone.
- Undisplaced—the broken bone pieces are aligned.
- Displaced—the broken bone pieces are not aligned.
TREATING BONE FRACTURES
Sharon Parmet, MS, Writer;
Cassio Lynm, MA, Illustrator;
Richard M. Glass, MD, Editor
RELATED ARTICLE
External Fixation in Orthopedics
Joseph J. Gugenheim, Jr
JAMA. 2004;291(17):2122-2124.
EXTRACT
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