Bone Fractures Essay Research Paper Bone Fractures

Bone Fractures Essay, Research Paper

Bone Fractures

“Thank goodness it’s only a fracture. I thought it might be broken.” People

often think that a fracture is less severe than a broken bone, but fractures are broken

bones.

To understand why bones break, it helps to know what bones do and what

they are made of. The bones of the body form the human frame, or skeleton, which

supports and protects the softer parts of the body. Bones are living tissue. They

grow rapidly during one’s early years, and renew themselves when they are broken.

Bones have a center called the marrow, which is softer than the outer part of

the bone. Bone marrow has cells that develop into red blood cells that carry oxygen

to all parts of the body and into white blood cells that help fight disease. Bones also

contain the minerals calcium and phosphorus. These minerals are combined in a

crystal-like or latticework structure. Because of their unique structure, bones can

bear large amounts of weight.

Bones are rigid, but they do bend, or “give” somewhat when an outside force

is applied to them. When this force stops, bone returns to its original shape. For

example, if you fall forward and land on your outstretched hand, there’s an impact

on the bones and connective tissue of your wrist as you hit the ground. The bones of

the hand, wrist and arm can usually absorb this shock by giving slightly and then

returning to their original shape and position. If the force is too great, however,

bones will break, just as a plastic ruler breaks after being bent too far.

The severity of a fracture usually depends on the force that caused the

fracture. If the bone’s breaking point has been exceeded only slightly, then the bone

may crack rather than breaking all the way through. If the force is extreme, such as

in an automobile collision or a gunshot, the bone may shatter. If the bone breaks in

such a way that bone fragments stick out through the skin or a wound penetrates

down to the broken bone, the fracture is called an “open” fracture. This type of

fracture is particularly serious because once the skin is broken, infection in both the

wound and the bone can occur.

Because fractures hurt and make it difficult if not impossible to use the part of

the body that is injured, most people call a doctor or seek emergency care quickly.

In some cases, however, a person can walk on a fractured bone in the leg or foot, or

use a fractured arm. Just because you can use your hand or foot does not mean that

you do not have a fracture. If you think a bone may be broken, you should seek

medical help immediately. A medical examination and x-rays are usually necessary

to tell for sure and to ensure proper treatment.

It is very important to control the movement of a broken bone. Moving a

broken or dislocated bone can cause additional damage to the bone, nearby blood

vessels, and nerves or other tissues surrounding the bone. That’s why people giving

first aid or emergency treatment may splint or brace your injury before medical

treatment is given. Also, if there is an open wound it should be covered by a clean

cloth or bandage on the way to further medical treatment.

At the emergency room, clinic or doctor’s office, the physician usually applies

a splint to prevent further damage, to lessen the pain and to help stop any bleeding.

The patient is usually asked to recline and elevate the injured part. Elevation helps

to reduce bleeding and swelling.

X-rays can help the physician determine whether there is a fracture, and if so,

what type of fracture it is. If there is a fracture, the doctor will “reduce” it, by

restoring the parts of the broken bone to their original positions. “Reduction” is the

technical term for this process.

All forms of treatment of broken bones follow one basic rule: the

broken pieces must be put back into position and prevented from moving out

of place until they are healed. Broken bone ends heal by “knitting” back

together with new bone being formed around the edge of the broken parts.

The specific method of treatment depends on the severity of the break,

whether it is open or closed, and the specific bone involved.

There are many different treatments for bone fractures.

A plaster or fiberglass cast is the most common type of fracture treatment,

because most broken bones can heal successfully once they have been

repositioned and a cast has been applied to keep the broken ends in proper

position while they heal.

The cast or brace allows limited or “controlled” movement of nearby joints.

This treatment is desirable for some but not all fractures.

Traction is usually used to align a bone or bones by a gentle, steady pulling

action. The pulling force may be transmitted to the bone through skin tapes or

a metal pin through a bone. Traction may be used as a preliminary treatment,

before ot

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