| Bone fracture | |
|---|---|
| Other names | broken bone, bone break |
 | |
| Internal and external views of an arm with a compound fracture, both before and after surgery | |
| Specialty | Orthopedics |
| Diagnostic method | X-ray, MRI |
A bone fracture (abbreviated FRX or Fx, Fx, or #) is a medical condition in which there is a partial or complete break in the continuity of any bone in the body. In more severe cases, the bone may be broken into several fragments, known as a comminuted fracture.[1] An open fracture (or compound fracture) is a bone fracture where the broken bone breaks through the skin.[2] A bone fracture may be the result of high force impact or stress, or a minimal trauma injury as a result of certain medical conditions that weaken the bones, such as osteoporosis, osteopenia, bone cancer, or osteogenesis imperfecta, where the fracture is then properly termed a pathologic fracture.[3] Most bone fractures require urgent medical attention to prevent further injury.
- ^ Katherine, Abel (2013). Official CPC Certification Study Guide. American Medical Association. p. 108.
- ^ "Open Fractures - OrthoInfo - AAOS". www.orthoinfo.org. Retrieved 15 November 2024.
- ^ Witmer, Daniel K.; Marshall, Silas T.; Browner, Bruce D. (2016). "Emergency Care of Musculoskeletal Injuries". In Townsend, Courtney M.; Beauchamp, R. Daniel; Evers, B. Mark; Mattox, Kenneth L. (eds.). Sabiston Textbook of Surgery (20th ed.). Elsevier. pp. 462–504. ISBN 978-0-323-40163-0. Archived from the original on 17 January 2023. Retrieved 4 December 2016.