Human Anatomy & Physiology
04C.5 Fractures & Healing
Draw diagrams for all the following numbers.
I would encourage you to draw the diagram in the reduction column.
1. Simple fracture
 Complete break between bones
2. Compound fracture
 Complete break that goes through the skin
3. Comminuted fracture
 Complete break into pieces
*think of USSR
4. Impact fracture
 Occurs when two bones are forced to collide
at the joint
5. Spiral fracture
 Bones are actually twisted apart in a complete or incomplete
fracture
o from landing or falling ‘weird’
o seen in child abuse cases
6. Greenstick fracture
 Incomplete break, splinters, but not in two
o Only seen in children
7. Oblique fracture
 Broken at an angle
o Usually the result of a sharp angled blow to bone
8. Transverse fracture
 Perpendicular to length of bone
o Sharp direct blow to bone
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May be a stress fracture
9. Avulsion fracture
 Ligament or tendon pull some bone away
o Sharp direct blow to bone
o Usually in children (adults tear tendon or ligament)
Union fracture
 Refers to healing of bone fracture components
Delayed Union fracture
 Refers to healing of bone fracture that is taking an
exceptionally long time to heal
Nonunion fracture
 Refers to the absence of healing in a fracture
Malunion fracture
 Refers to healing of bone fracture with incorrect anatomical
alignment
**see actual x-ray examples
Healing of Fractures
1. 1st step to proper healing is to realign the bones so that they will
heal straight.
Keep in mind that steps 2-5 will happen even if the bones are not
straight. In this case, medical personnel must go in and re-break the
bone to 'set it' straight.
the procedure to realign or straighten a fracture is known as
REDUCTION: 'setting' the bones in place.
Open reduction: Surgery is required
 sometimes screws, plates, or rods
Closed reduction: No surgery
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 can be painful
2. Hemotoma forms
occurs around the broken ends of the bones
bones are very vascular & will bleed a great deal
clotting process will eventually get control & form a
hematoma around the area & control bleeding
3. Fibrocartilage callus formation:
 the break will be bridged with Fibrocartilage
 this will stabilize the broken ends & set up ossification of the
break
4. Ossification:
as in the process of ossification, the cartilage will be converted
into bone
after this process is finished, the bone is considered healed
Healing time?
Depends on type of fracture, age, smoker or not
ex:
a healthy person & a simple fracture takes about 6 weeks to heal.
the same fracture in a person who smokes a pack a day, the healing
can take 2-4 weeks longer (also true for diabetics)
reason is the smoker takes a 'drag' off a cigarette, the burn is
orange (an incomplete burn & produces carbon monoxide)
CO is the mistress of RBC & keeps these little carriers of O2
from doing their job
Remember to:
Reduce, Recite, Reflect, & Review!
Study Flashcards & Notes 3 x 5!
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