AHN 577 Test 2 - Ortho Study Guide With
Complete Solution
Open (Compound) Fracture - ANSWER Skin not intact near fracture
Closed (Simple) Fracture - ANSWER 2 bone fragments with skin intact
Non-Displaced Fracture - ANSWER Bone segment aligned
Displaced Fracture - ANSWER Bone segments not aligned or separated
Transverse Fracture line - ANSWER Caused by tension; fracture at right angle
to long bone axis
Longitudnal Fracture Line - ANSWER Fracture occurs along (parallel) to axis
of bone
Oblique fracture line - ANSWER Caused by compression; fracture at angle
across bone
Butterfly Fracture Line - ANSWER When 2 are more oblique fractures occur,
causing a wedged shape fracture to occur between the proximal and distal
fractures. Caused by bending of bone.
Spiral Fracture Line - ANSWER Occurs d/t being in motion when fracture
occurs, causing torsion to fractured bone. (Caused by torsion of bone)
Comminuted (Complex) Fracture Line - ANSWER Break or splintering of bone
ends into multiple large pieces (2 or more). Large enough to screw.
Segmental Fracture Line - ANSWER Composed of 2 or more fracture lines
that together isolates a section of the bone usually affect diaphysis (long
,segment of bone).
Impact Fracture Line - ANSWER One of the fractured segments is driven into
another segment of the fracture.
Stellate Fracture Line - ANSWER Line of fracture radiates from a point of
injury (i.e., skull fractures or patella)
Avulsion Fracture - ANSWER Injury to bone where ligaments or tendons
attaches to bone and pulls off bone while pulling a piece of bone with it.
Gustilo Classification of Bone Fracture Type 1 - ANSWER Open fracture with a
skin wound < or = 1 cm in length and clean (minimal soft tissue injury)
Gustilo Classification of Bone Fracture Type II - ANSWER Open fracture with a
laceration/wound > 1 cm without extensive soft tissue damage, flaps or
avulsions.
Gustilo Classification of Bone Fracture Type III - ANSWER Open segmental
fracture wound with extensive soft tissue injury.
IIIa - Adequate soft tissue coverage
IIIb - Significant soft tissue loss with exposed bone that requires soft tissue
transfer to achieve coverage.
IIIc - Associated vascular injury that requires repair for limb preservation.
Mal-union - ANSWER Fracture heals in wrong position
Non-Union - ANSWER Fracture fails to heal
Subluxation - ANSWER Partial dislocation of fracture
Pathological (Traumatic) Fracture - ANSWER Weak areas of bone usually seen
,with osteomalacia, cyst, carcinoma, Paget's dz.
Stress Fracture - ANSWER a small crack in the bone that often develops from
chronic, excessive impact (i.e., running)
Greenstick Fracture - ANSWER Bone breaks incompletely, much in the way a
green twig breaks
A partial fracture in which one side of the bone is broken and the other side
bends
Usually seen in children d/t soft bones
Torus (Buckle) Fracture - ANSWER One in which one cortex is intact with
buckling or compaction of the opposite cortex creating a fracture (Seen as a
bump).
Usually seen in children.
Dislocation - ANSWER Displacement of a bone or joint from its normal
position
Subluxation dislocation - ANSWER Incomplete dislocation
Typical Findings of a Fracture - ANSWER 1. Pain on palpation over fracture
2. Deformity of limb (not always immediately visible)
3. Palpable and/or audible crepitus
4. Diminished or absent distal pulses
5. Swelling
6. Ecchymosis or frank bleeding
, 7. Decrease or absent ROM distal to fracture
8. Neurologic injury distal to fracture
Cervical, thoracic and lumbar spine injuries - ANSWER Should always be
treated as if a fracture exists until proven otherwise
Neurovascular injury of shoulder SSX - ANSWER Inability to abduct or adduct
arm
Suprascapular nerve injury mainfests as suprospinatous or infraspinatous
weakness.
Supraspinatous NV shoulder injury - ANSWER Weakness w/ abduction of
shoulder
Inability to raise arms from sides to clap above head = impaired.
Infraspinatous NV shoulder injury - ANSWER Affects external rotation. (i.e.,
inability to reach backwards to put on seat belt)
Humerus (Proximal) injury ssx - ANSWER Ecchymosis, deformity, inability to
Complete Solution
Open (Compound) Fracture - ANSWER Skin not intact near fracture
Closed (Simple) Fracture - ANSWER 2 bone fragments with skin intact
Non-Displaced Fracture - ANSWER Bone segment aligned
Displaced Fracture - ANSWER Bone segments not aligned or separated
Transverse Fracture line - ANSWER Caused by tension; fracture at right angle
to long bone axis
Longitudnal Fracture Line - ANSWER Fracture occurs along (parallel) to axis
of bone
Oblique fracture line - ANSWER Caused by compression; fracture at angle
across bone
Butterfly Fracture Line - ANSWER When 2 are more oblique fractures occur,
causing a wedged shape fracture to occur between the proximal and distal
fractures. Caused by bending of bone.
Spiral Fracture Line - ANSWER Occurs d/t being in motion when fracture
occurs, causing torsion to fractured bone. (Caused by torsion of bone)
Comminuted (Complex) Fracture Line - ANSWER Break or splintering of bone
ends into multiple large pieces (2 or more). Large enough to screw.
Segmental Fracture Line - ANSWER Composed of 2 or more fracture lines
that together isolates a section of the bone usually affect diaphysis (long
,segment of bone).
Impact Fracture Line - ANSWER One of the fractured segments is driven into
another segment of the fracture.
Stellate Fracture Line - ANSWER Line of fracture radiates from a point of
injury (i.e., skull fractures or patella)
Avulsion Fracture - ANSWER Injury to bone where ligaments or tendons
attaches to bone and pulls off bone while pulling a piece of bone with it.
Gustilo Classification of Bone Fracture Type 1 - ANSWER Open fracture with a
skin wound < or = 1 cm in length and clean (minimal soft tissue injury)
Gustilo Classification of Bone Fracture Type II - ANSWER Open fracture with a
laceration/wound > 1 cm without extensive soft tissue damage, flaps or
avulsions.
Gustilo Classification of Bone Fracture Type III - ANSWER Open segmental
fracture wound with extensive soft tissue injury.
IIIa - Adequate soft tissue coverage
IIIb - Significant soft tissue loss with exposed bone that requires soft tissue
transfer to achieve coverage.
IIIc - Associated vascular injury that requires repair for limb preservation.
Mal-union - ANSWER Fracture heals in wrong position
Non-Union - ANSWER Fracture fails to heal
Subluxation - ANSWER Partial dislocation of fracture
Pathological (Traumatic) Fracture - ANSWER Weak areas of bone usually seen
,with osteomalacia, cyst, carcinoma, Paget's dz.
Stress Fracture - ANSWER a small crack in the bone that often develops from
chronic, excessive impact (i.e., running)
Greenstick Fracture - ANSWER Bone breaks incompletely, much in the way a
green twig breaks
A partial fracture in which one side of the bone is broken and the other side
bends
Usually seen in children d/t soft bones
Torus (Buckle) Fracture - ANSWER One in which one cortex is intact with
buckling or compaction of the opposite cortex creating a fracture (Seen as a
bump).
Usually seen in children.
Dislocation - ANSWER Displacement of a bone or joint from its normal
position
Subluxation dislocation - ANSWER Incomplete dislocation
Typical Findings of a Fracture - ANSWER 1. Pain on palpation over fracture
2. Deformity of limb (not always immediately visible)
3. Palpable and/or audible crepitus
4. Diminished or absent distal pulses
5. Swelling
6. Ecchymosis or frank bleeding
, 7. Decrease or absent ROM distal to fracture
8. Neurologic injury distal to fracture
Cervical, thoracic and lumbar spine injuries - ANSWER Should always be
treated as if a fracture exists until proven otherwise
Neurovascular injury of shoulder SSX - ANSWER Inability to abduct or adduct
arm
Suprascapular nerve injury mainfests as suprospinatous or infraspinatous
weakness.
Supraspinatous NV shoulder injury - ANSWER Weakness w/ abduction of
shoulder
Inability to raise arms from sides to clap above head = impaired.
Infraspinatous NV shoulder injury - ANSWER Affects external rotation. (i.e.,
inability to reach backwards to put on seat belt)
Humerus (Proximal) injury ssx - ANSWER Ecchymosis, deformity, inability to
