What to do when someone has a compound fracture?
Management of compound fractures remains a challenge to the surgeon. Methods to decrease patient morbidity include early fracture stabilization and sequential débridement. External fixation remains the standard; however, early internal fixation in low-grade injuries may be an acceptable option. Early soft tissue coverage is critical.
How long will a compound fracture heal?
How are compound fractures treated? After all emergency care described above is performed, patients with compound fractures are brought to the operating room for more thorough wound cleaning and irrigation, and for the removal of damaged tissue that can contaminate the wound.
What is the difference between simple and compound fractures?
Jan 11, 2020 · Treatment of compound fractures requires a comprehensive assessement of the extent of the injury and the status of the patient. A variety of tests and involvement of various medical specialists is typically required. The wounds are washed and antiseptics are given.
How to treat a complicated fracture?
Sep 04, 2020 · Since this type of fracture has a high risk of infection, immediate treatment is key. In most cases, an open fracture requires surgical cleaning of the injury no more than 24 hours after it occurs. Your doctor will typically prescribe you antibiotics. You may need to stay in the hospital for several days or more.
Is a compound fracture serious?
Why is a compound fracture dangerous? Compound fractures are urgent situations because of the high risk of infection, tissue damage, and healing complications. All high-energy fractures, including compound fractures, are at risk for another serious associated condition called compartment syndrome.
How long does it take to recover from a compound fracture?
Generally speaking, a fracture may need as little as 4-6 weeks for the bone to heal. Compound fractures, however, are much more complicated and may take several more weeks or months to properly heal.Apr 20, 2013
How long do you stay in the hospital for a compound fracture?
In most cases, an open fracture requires surgical cleaning of the injury no more than 24 hours after it occurs. Your doctor will typically prescribe you antibiotics. You may need to stay in the hospital for several days or more.Sep 4, 2020
Can a compound fracture heal without surgery?
Compound fractures break the skin and need surgery, while compression fractures can heal without surgery. These injuries will need consistent therapy and treatment for the best results. If non-surgical treatment fails, then these fractures will benefit from surgery.
Do all compound fractures require surgery?
Almost all open fractures are treated in the operating room. It is important to go to surgery as soon as possible so that your open wound can be cleaned out to help prevent infection. Depending on your specific injury, you will be given either regional or general anesthesia during this procedure.
How painful is a compound fracture?
A compound fracture has either punctured the skin or exposed the bone, which means it's extremely painful. Even without attempting to move the injured body part, you will feel persistent pain with a compound fracture. In addition, you may not be able to move the affected area.Jun 28, 2019
What's the difference between a fracture and a compound fracture?
A simple fracture is one that causes the bone to crack, but it does not pierce the skin. The smallest of these fractures are often called hairline fractures. A compound fracture, on the other hand, completely breaks the bone. As a result, the bone may break through the skin.Sep 25, 2019
What happens if fracture is not treated?
When a bone fracture is untreated, it can result in either a nonunion or a delayed union. In the former case, the bone doesn't heal at all, which means that it will remain broken. As a result, swelling, tenderness, and pain will continue to worsen over time.
Why is it called a compound fracture?
A fracture is called simple (closed) when the overlying skin is not broken and the bone is not exposed to the air; it is called compound (open) when the bone is exposed.
What are the symptoms of a compound fracture?
Symptoms of compound fracture are similar to those of other fractures like pain, swelling, bruising and an inability to move the affected part. The underlying muscle and bone may be visible through the wound. Bleeding may be present and may require to be controlled to prevent excessive blood loss.Oct 16, 2014
How does a compound fracture occur?
An open or compound fracture happens when enough force hits the bone to cause it to break and stick out through the skin. It can happen as the result of falling, such as falls you may take when riding a bicycle. When playing sports, a bone may be hit directly, which may also cause this kind of fracture.
What is a compound fracture?
A compound fracture (also known as an “open fracture”) is a bone fracture that is accompanied by breaks in the skin, causing the broken ends of bon...
Why is a compound fracture dangerous?
Compound fractures are urgent situations because of the high risk of infection, tissue damage, and healing complications. All high-energy fractures...
Can a compound fracture be life-threatening?
A compound fracture, in isolation, can be life-threatening only in rare circumstances, for example if a broken bone injures a major blood vessel an...
How are compound fractures treated?
After all emergency care described above is performed, patients with compound fractures are brought to the operating room for more thorough wound c...
What should you do when a person has a compound fracture?
First, call an ambulance to transport the patient safely to the nearest hospital. Keep the patient as immobilized as possible while waiting for car...
How do you prevent a compound fracture?
Although not every accident or sports injury can be avoided, it is always important to take precautions and wear safety equipment during high-energ...
Overview
A compound fracture is a break or crack in your bone that is visible through your skin. Generally, bones break as a result of force and/or trauma like a car crash. Fractures can also be caused by less traumatic but repeated force.
Symptoms and Causes
Severe trauma causes compound fractures. Examples of events that can cause this type of severe trauma include a:
Diagnosis and Tests
A compound/open fracture is more obvious to a healthcare provider than a simple/closed fracture because your bone has broken through your skin. The healthcare provider will do a physical examination and then order X-rays to see exactly how the bones are broken and how they need to be aligned.
Management and Treatment
When you get to the emergency department you’ll get one or more pain relief options, including:
Prevention
Accidents can happen to anyone. It’s scary to think you could break a bone by falling off a ladder, getting into a car crash or slipping on a wet floor. You can reduce your risk by taking simple precautions such as:
Living With
Taking proper care of the cast immobilizing your bones is vital for the healing process. Keep the following tips in mind for proper cast care:
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, there are consequences if the immobilization lasts too long, including:
What is compartment syndrome?
Compartment syndrome is a medical emergency where injured muscle tissue swells to a such a degree that the swelling damages the muscle itself as well as other adjacent tissues − most often nerves. The swollen muscle is constrained inside a compartment of tissue called fascia, which cannot stretch to alleviate the pressure. As the pressure rises, all tissues within the compartment are damaged. When compartment syndrome is not treated, the tissues can undergo necrosis (death) and cause permanent loss of function of the involved muscles and nerves. The treatment for compartment syndrome is an urgent surgery called a fasciotomy, which relieves the built-up pressure in the involved muscle compartment.
Why is compound fracture dangerous?
Why is a compound fracture dangerous? Compound fractures are urgent situations because of the high risk of infection, tissue damage, and healing complications. All high-energy fractures, including compound fractures, are at risk for another serious associated condition called compartment syndrome.
What kind of surgeons work with trauma patients?
Orthopedic trauma surgeons work closely alongside general trauma surgeons, neurosurgeons, plastic surgeons, and anesthesiologists as appropriate to provide injured patients with the best care possible to decrease their risks of complications.
What happens if you have an open fracture?
If not properly treated, open fractures can lead to non-lethal, long-term complications such as bone infection and problems with proper bone healing.
What causes a fractured leg?
This is usually caused by a broken bone piercing the skin during a high-impact trauma, and it most commonly affects the lower leg, but it can occur in any part of the extremities. The severity of a compound fracture depends on multiple factors, such as the degree of damage to the bone and the surrounding soft tissues (muscle, tendon, ligament, ...
Is compound fracture more likely to heal?
In addition to concerns about infection, compound fractures are at high risk for not healing in a timely fashion or requiring additional surgery to promote healing.
Why is it important to have a wound culture and antibiotic sensitivity test?
Regular wound culture and antibiotic sensitivity tests to ensure the use of correct antibiotics, helps to counter infective organisms.
What does it mean when you have a palpable pulseless extremity after a compound fracture?
Pale Pulseless extremity after a compound fracture is a sign of arterial injury . This deprives the part of the limb beyond the injured blood vessel to be unable to maintain itself with loss of viability (death of the tissues) within 2-3 hours.
How long does it take for a bone to heal?
However, if the wound takes more than 6 weeks to heal completely then the patient may not require permanent fixation. Temporary fixation of bones prevents injury to important soft tissues, like blood vessels and nerves, and even facilitates their repair if the need be.
What is compound fracture?
Compound fractures are not just a type of fracture, but have a completely different entity, when it comes to managing their symptoms and complications. Not only are they prone to develop several complications, but they have some peculiar symptoms, which if noted, herald the onset of a multitude of interventions by several specialist surgeons. Treatment measures have to be tailored according to the type of compound fracture and the patients general condition to tolerate them. An unsuitable match between these variables can even lead to outcomes more disastrous than the initial injury.
What causes a toe to bend and curl?
Compartment syndrome causes the muscles of the affected limb to contract and become tender, which causes fingers or toes to curl or bend and forcible straightening causes severe pain. This is a common occurrence in neglected compound fractures of the forearm or leg, irrespective of the size of the wound.
What does it mean when you smell rotten fish?
Foul Odor resembling rotten fish or an extremely offensive odor from the wound, should arouse the suspicion of gas gangrene, which is a life threatening infection due to contamination of the wound by bacteria from soil at the time of the accident.
Why is it ineffective to take antibiotics for bone infection?
Oral antibiotics are ineffective for this type of long term infection due to micro-organisms taking shelter in the tough bone tissue.
How to treat compound fracture?
The treatment for compound fracture or open fracture involves below steps:-. Surgical Cleaning of the Bone : The first step of treatment for compound fracture involves a surgery called irrigation. In this surgery, the bone as well as the site of injury is initially washed which is called irrigation. The surgical cleaning ...
What is the typical feature of a compound fracture?
The typical features for this kind of fracture are: Wound is clean. Wound is free from foreign particles.
What is the difference between open and closed fracture?
In case of closed fracture, the fracture occurs within the body whereas in case of open fracture the broken bone and its fragments protrude out of the skin creating an open wound with an increased risk of infection of the bones. The open fracture is also known as compound fracture. Advertisement.
What is a fracture in a bone?
A fracture can be defined as the breakage occurring in the continuity of bone or a cartilage that may result due to an accident, bone diseases like osteoporosis or abnormal bone formation. The fracture causes a traumatic pain in the patient and the patient may also go into a state of shock. In cases of fracture, the breakage may be ...
How long does it take for a fracture to heal?
Since, there is always a possibility of bone infection and non-union of the bone, the compound fracture or open fracture can take as long as eighteen months to heal. Advertisement. The patient usually feels discomfort, stiffness and weakness post the healing of the injury.
What are the two types of fractures?
The fracture is broadly categorized into two categories which are closed fracture and open fracture.
What is grade 3 fracture?
Grade III type: The severity level of the wound in case of grade III type fractures can range from moderate to massive. The wound is generally caused by high velocity injuries that lead to severe crushing of the skin as well as the underlying tissues.
What is compound fracture?
A compound fracture refers to a fractured bone that is also accompanied by damage to the overlying tissues and skin. This results in an open wound. The break in the overlying skin could be caused by either an external injury or the sharp ends ...
What is secondary compound fracture?
A secondary compound fracture is another important type of compound fracture in which the skin overlying the fractured bone is intact to begin with. There is a secondary breakdown of the ovelrying skin and connective tissue due to destruction of cutaneous blood vessles or delayed impact of the trauma.
Why does blood leakage occur in fractures?
Blood leakage in fractures results in the formation of blood clots, which prevent further blood loss by sealing the injured area.
What is the purpose of external bone fixators?
External bone fixators (uni-planar, bi-planar, and ring fixators) are used to temporarily fix the fractured bones and allow the wound to heal. Temporary fixation aids tissue repair and prevents futher injury to blood vessels, soft tissues, and nerves.
Why do you need an antiserum for gas gangrene?
Antiserum against gas gangrene bacteria should be given in the early stages of fracture management in order to prevent the occurrence of this lethal infection.
What is compartment syndrome?
Compartment syndrome is a limb-threatening emergency that requires immediate medical intervention. Fibrosis of muscles that may result from this condition can persist throughout life. Pale pulse: Injury to the blood vessels can cause a weak pulse in the extremities of the limbs.
Can a compound fracture persist?
Bone infections and physical deformities due to compound fractures may persist throughout life. The management of compound fractures is also a difficult endeavor. Due to the involvement of multiple tissues, several specialist surgeons may be required to treat a compound fracture.
How to heal an open leg fracture?
Your doctor will often prescribe physical therapy, an important part of the recovery process. Specific movements and exercises can help strengthen muscles and maintain flexibility in the leg. To learn more about open leg fractures, visit UPMC Orthopaedic Care or make an appointment by calling 1-866-987-6784.
How long does it take for an open fracture to heal?
In most cases, an open fracture requires surgical cleaning of the injury no more than 24 hours after it occurs. Your doctor will typically prescribe you antibiotics. You may need to stay in the hospital for several days or more. In most cases, the doctor will need to use rods, pins, screws, or metal plates to help hold the bone in place to heal.
What is an open fracture?
An open or compound bone fracture is a break in which the bone pierces the skin. Because this type of fracture opens the skin, exposing the wound to dirt and bacteria, it can be more complicated to treat. An open leg fracture can occur in any of the leg bones, but most commonly in the femur, tibia, or fibula.
Why does it take longer for a fractured leg to heal?
Fractures of the lower leg can take longer to heal because they don’t have as much surrounding soft tissue or blood supply to help speed the healing process . Doctors generally suggest using a wheelchair, walker, or crutches to keep weight off the leg while the bone heals.
What do doctors use to fix a fractured bone?
In most cases, the doctor will need to use rods, pins, screws, or metal plates to help hold the bone in place to heal. Since a fracture can also damage the surrounding skin, muscles, nerves, and arteries, the doctor will work to repair other tissue damage as well. Sometimes this requires multiple surgical procedures.
What is the term for a bone that breaks in a car accident?
19, 2020. While breaking a bone sounds straightforward, there are actually many different ways a bone can break. An open fracture, also called a compound fracture, can occur through a simple fall, playing a sport, being in a car accident, or any other high-impact event.
How long does it take to clean an open leg fracture?
Since this type of fracture has a high risk of infection, immediate treatment is key. In most cases, an open fracture requires surgical cleaning of the injury no more than 24 hours after it occurs.
Prognosis
Symptoms
Diagnosis
- Stretch Pain is the earliest and most definitive sign of compartment syndrome. It necessitates immediate intervention by a multitude of specialists, including a radiologist or sonologist for accurate diagnosis, trauma care surgeon for fasciotomy (Picture 1) ( a surgery which cuts open the affected compartment of the limb and relieves the increased compartment pressure), and a …
Signs and symptoms
- Compartment syndrome causes the muscles of the affected limb to contract and become tender, which causes fingers or toes to curl or bend and forcible straightening causes severe pain. This is a common occurrence in neglected compound fractures of the forearm or leg, irrespective of the size of the wound. Compartment syndrome is a limb threatening emergency and its consequenc…
Treatment
- The initial assessment of compound fractures, includes a variable amount of investigations, depending on the location and severity of the injury. Minor puncture wounds with fractures along the extremity can be treated after just a simple x-ray, whereas, large open wounds may require assessment of blood loss, and ruling out the possibility of bone l...
Results
- The external fixation is maintained until the open wound heals and is removed at the time of permanent fixation surgery. However, if the wound takes more than 6 weeks to heal completely then the patient may not require permanent fixation. Temporary fixation of bones prevents injury to important soft tissues, like blood vessels and nerves, and even facilitates their repair if the ne…
Risks
- Several immediate complications of compound fractures have been mentioned in detail above along with their management. Hence, in this section we will discuss the delayed complications of compound fractures.
Pathophysiology
- Chronic osteomyelitis is a severe bone infection, which invades and remains in the bone tissue for months to years after a compound fracture. This infection usually causes pus to exude out of the bone cavity continuously, from a wound that does not heal even after months of daily dressing. Oral antibiotics are ineffective for this type of long term infection due to micro-organisms taking …