Open Fracture
Also called a compound fracture, an open fracture happens when the bone injury breaks through the skin, creating an open wound. “An open fracture needs immediate medical attention. Your surgeon will assess the severity of your injury based on the following factors.”
Surgeons evaluate:
- Location - whether the wrist area has adequate blood supply
- Fragments - the number and size of bone pieces
- Damage severity - impact on surrounding soft tissues
Open fractures require emergency surgery to clean the bone and soft tissues, then stabilize the affected area for proper healing.
Intraarticular Fracture
This fracture crosses the joint surface and damages cartilage. “Joint fractures need more treatment and time to heal because of the number of bone pieces present in the injured joint.” These fractures often include torn ligaments that complicate recovery.
Extraarticular Fracture
The radius has a single disruption in the shaft, appearing as transverse, oblique, or spiral breaks. Imaging like CT scans or radiographs typically confirm the injury, though surgeons may discover extensions into the joint during surgery. Treatment uses lag screw methods.
Comminuted Fracture
These involve multiple fractures within one bone and require radiological confirmation before surgery proceeds.
