Fracture Presentation

1. Fractures:Greenstick, Spiral, & Oblique By: Ashley Barreca Spring 2010 Anatomy & Physiology

2. A bone fracture is a medical condition in where there is a break in the continuity of a bone. A bone fracture can be the result of a high force impact or stress. Certain medical conditions such as osteoporosis, bone cancer, or osteogenesis can result in weakened bones. when these types of conditions result in a fracture they are termed pathological fracture. What is a fracture?

3. Abbreviaton: Fracture is abbreviated as Fx or Fx Common misconception: The words fracture and break are synonymous, although they are commonly thought of as two different types of injury. A break is not a formal orthopedic medical term. Fracture Facts

4. Greenstick Fractures The name greenstick is an analogy for green wood which breaks on the outside when bent, this is due to the bone being softer.

5. A greenstick fracture is a fracture in a young soft bones where the bone bends and partially breaks. Bones become harder (more calcified) and also more brittle with age. Greenstick fractures occur almost exclusively in babies and children becausethe bones are soft. There are three forms of greenstick fractures: The first is a transverse fracture this occurs in the cortex which extends into the midportion of the bone. The bone isoriented along the longitudinal axis of the bone without disrupting the opposite cortex. The second kind of fractureis a torus or buckling fracture, that is caused by impaction of the bone. The third type is a bow fracture wherethe bone getscurved along its longitudinal axis. Greenstick Fractures:

6. SpiralFractures Oblique fractures are often hard to locate with radiographs because the oblique view usually the most diagnostic.

7. A spiral fracture is a type of bone fracture that is causedby a twisting force. A spiral fractures can also be called “torsion fractures.” this is a reference to the forces involved to create a spiral fracture. The break is a helical break, so it can be a difficult fracture to treat. The treatmentis months in a cast and possible even surgery. A spiral fracture is a bone fracture wherethe bone has been twisted apart. It is highly unstable and is often diagnosed as an oblique fracture, that is unless a x-ray has been taken which makes the diagnosis much clearer. This fracture looks like a corkscrew that runs parallel with the axis of the bone broken. Spiral fractures usually occur during movement. children often havemishaps such as falling down the stairs or sports injuries that may cause a spiral fracture. These fractures are often associated with child abuse, because the break only occurs with certain stress of the bone. Spiral Fracture

8. ObliqueFractures The "oblique" fracture is broken at an angle across the bone and is usually the result of a sharp angled blow to the bone.

9. ObliqueFracture: Anoblique fractureis a fracture in which the line of the break runs obliquely to the axis of the bone. The oblique fracture is a slanted fracture of the shaft along the bone's long axis. oblique fracture n. A fracture in which the line of break is broken at an angle across the bone and is usually the result of a sharp angled blow. An example of this break is trauma caused.

10. Wikipedia were the source of the slides. Information from my book Human Anatomy and Physiology Book. The remainder of information comes from an online medical journal Please let me know if you have questions of comments. References: