The fracture should similarly be evaluated with X-rays and immobilized. The wound should be evaluated and bandaged, and the patient should receive antibiotic medication as soon as possible to minimize risk of infection. Patients with open fractures should be transported by ambulance, if possible, to the nearest trauma center emergency room to initiate appropriate treatments. If not properly treated, open fractures can lead to non-lethal, long-term complications such as bone infection and problems with proper bone healing.
Mortality associated with fractures is usually related to associated injuries to other critical organs, such as the brain, lung, and liver. Can a compound fracture be life-threatening?Ī compound fracture, in isolation, can be life-threatening only in rare circumstances, for example if a broken bone injures a major blood vessel and timely medical treatment is not available. The treatment for compartment syndrome is an urgent surgery called a fasciotomy, which relieves the built-up pressure in the involved muscle compartment. When compartment syndrome is not treated, the tissues can undergo necrosis (death) and cause permanent loss of function of the involved muscles and nerves. As the pressure rises, all tissues within the compartment are damaged. The swollen muscle is constrained inside a compartment of tissue called fascia, which cannot stretch to alleviate the pressure. Compartment syndromeĬompartment 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. 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.
High-energy open fractures become infected much more commonly than similar fractures that are not open. All high-energy fractures, including compound fractures, are at risk for another serious associated condition called compartment syndrome. Why is a compound fracture dangerous?Ĭompound fractures are urgent situations because of the high risk of infection, tissue damage, and healing complications. 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, etc.), the degree of wound contamination with soil, grease, sand, etc., and whether there or not there is any disruption of the major blood vessels to that part of the body.
CLOSED FRACTURE VS OPEN FRACTURE SKIN
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. How do you prevent a compound fracture?Ī 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 bone to come into contact with the outside environment.What should you do when a person has a compound fracture?.Can a compound fracture be life-threatening?.
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