Fractures

Types

• Stable - Sections of bone remain in alignment at the fracture site

• Compound - Skin is broken, and bone is exposed to air

• Pathological - Bone breaks due to abnormalities within the bone e.g. tumour, osteoporosis or paget’s disease

  • This can occur with minor trauma or spontaneously without a history of trauma

  • Common cancers that metastasise to bone are Prostate, Renal, Thyroid, Breast, Lung

Management

The principles here are both:

1. Reduction (open/closed) of fracture

2. Stabilisation to allow healing to occur

Options include:

• Analgesia

• Simple fractures - Reduce the fracture (closed) and apply plaster cast

• Complex fractures – NBM and taken to surgery (open reduction)

Complications