Fractures - General Principles

Introduction

At first glance, detecting and describing fractures may seem straightforward—there’s a fracture, end of story. But behind every fracture lies an interplay of anatomy, biomechanics, healing, and imaging.
Recognizing and correctly describing fractures is often a challenge for junior doctors and students. Fracture lines can be subtle, projections misleading, and mimics may look deceptively real. However, an accurate assessment and description of fractures is essential for initiating appropriate treatment and estimating the risk of complications and prognosis.
In this module, we guide you step by step through the world of fractures. You will learn about different fracture types, general terminology, fracture healing, conservative vs. operative treatments, and potential complications.
In addition, you will explore common fracture mimics and learn about the value of different imaging techniques such as X-ray, CT, MRI, and ultrasound.

In short, this module gives you a solid foundation for recognising and understanding fractures. Dive in, discover the logic behind fractures, and develop the skills to describe fractures accurately from now on, so that patients can be treated appropriately.

 
KEY TOPICS/TERMS:

• Types of fractures
• Stress fracture
• Pathological fracture
• Incomplete fractures (greenstick and torus fractures)
• Epiphysiolysis (Salter–Harris classification)
• Systematic description
• Fracture mimics
• Role of X-ray/CT/MRI/ultrasound
• Physiology of fracture healing
• Periosteal reaction, callus formation, consolidation
• Conservative vs. operative treatment (internal and external fixation)
• Complications related to fixation material
• Non-union
• Delayed union
• Malunion
• Pseudarthrosis
• Infection/osteomyelitis