"Closed" in Medical Terminology: Definitions and Examples

In medicine, closed describes a structure or condition that is sealed or not open to the external environment. The opposite is open.

Common Examples

• Closed fracture: Bone break without skin penetration.
• Closed reduction: Realignment of a fracture without surgical incision.
• Closed head injury: Brain injury with intact skull.
• Closed-heart surgery: Cardiac procedure without opening the heart chambers (e.g., commissurotomy).

Administrative Use

"Closed" may also denote a patient's status—no longer actively receiving care (e.g., "case closed").