A compound fracture is defined as which of the following?

A compound fracture is defined as which of the following?

• A. Fracture of the radius
• B. Fracture from repetitive use
• C. Fracture with a broken bone protruding through the skin
• D. Fracture with the bone splintered into many pieces

Answer: (C)

A compound fracture is an open fracture where the broken bone communicates with the outside through a skin wound, meaning the bone may protrude or be exposed. This distinguishes it from a closed fracture, where the skin remains intact. The defining feature is the skin breach with the bone involved, which raises infection risk and requires prompt, careful management: cover the wound with a sterile dressing if possible, immobilize the limb, and seek urgent medical care (tetanus and antibiotics are considerations). The other scenarios don’t fit: a fracture of the radius alone isn’t necessarily open; a fracture from repetitive use describes a stress fracture; and a fracture with bone splintered into many pieces describes a comminuted fracture, which is about fragment count rather than skin opening.

A compound fracture is an open fracture where the broken bone communicates with the outside through a skin wound, meaning the bone may protrude or be exposed. This distinguishes it from a closed fracture, where the skin remains intact. The defining feature is the skin breach with the bone involved, which raises infection risk and requires prompt, careful management: cover the wound with a sterile dressing if possible, immobilize the limb, and seek urgent medical care (tetanus and antibiotics are considerations). The other scenarios don’t fit: a fracture of the radius alone isn’t necessarily open; a fracture from repetitive use describes a stress fracture; and a fracture with bone splintered into many pieces describes a comminuted fracture, which is about fragment count rather than skin opening.