Fracture Terminology Guide: Essential Terms for Accurate Clinical Communication
Precise fracture description guides treatment, coding, and communication. Key terms:
| Term | Definition | Clinical Implication |
|---|---|---|
| Closed (Simple) | Skin intact | Lower infection risk; non-operative often possible |
| Open (Compound) | Bone communicates with skin | Surgical emergency: irrigation, debridement, antibiotics, fixation |
| Comminuted | ≥3 fragments | Complex fixation; higher nonunion risk |
| Greenstick | Incomplete, cortex bent (pediatric) | Remodeling potential; often closed reduction |
| Impacted | Fragments driven into each other | Stable; may need percutaneous fixation |
| Pathological | Bone weakened by disease (metastasis, osteoporosis, cyst) | Fixation + treat underlying disease; prophylactic fixation considered |
| Stress | Microfractures from repetitive load | Rest, protected weight-bearing; bisphosphonates if recurrent |
| Salter-Harris | Physeal (growth plate) classification I–V | Growth arrest risk ↑ with type |