A compound fracture, where the bone pierces the skin, poses a risk of infection and requires immediate surgical treatment. Cover wounds with sterile gauze and hold the injured person still. Surgery may involve placing screws or plates and healing can take at least two months. Simple fractures can also be complex and require prompt treatment.
In a compound fracture, which may also be called an open fracture, the broken bone pierces the skin. It may be completely visible or the piercing bone may have receded, leaving an open wound down to the bone. These fractures tend to pose a great risk for several reasons and usually require fairly immediate surgical treatment for better healing.
The most compelling reason to get medical help for someone with a compound fracture is to avoid infection. Any cut in the skin leaves the injured area vulnerable and it is possible for bacteria to enter the wound. Depending on the type of fracture, it may also be possible for a bacterial infection to affect the bone, which can create a significant challenge to healing. To prevent this, doctors typically want to repair the bone and close the wound as quickly as possible, perhaps giving antibiotics to make sure no infection develops. Delaying this increases the risk of infection and can turn the repair from a simple process to a complex one.
The only thing to do while taking a person to a doctor or waiting for emergency care is to cover any wounds with sterile gauze. If a protruding bone can be bypassed and bleeding is profuse, gentle pressure can be applied to sterile dressings. This is not always possible because significant bone protrusion would mean applying pressure to the area of the fracture, which could injure it even more. Mostly, people should hold the injured person as still as possible. Applying a tourniquet to stop bleeding is not recommended if emergency help is nearby.
Repair for the compound fracture usually involves surgery. The type of surgery and the extent of the repair depend on the total grade of the injury. The duration of healing depends on the severity of the injury, but is usually at least two months or more. Surgeons may need to place screws or plates to stabilize a bone, which may require subsequent surgery to remove.
The severity of the open fracture does not mean that simple fractures, where the skin is not punctured, are also not complex. At least with a compound fracture, it’s easy to guess that the injury needs immediate attention. With simple fractures, the bones can still move and destroy the tissue inside, and things like ligaments can be severed. This suggests that people are not slow to receive treatment for closed fractures as well.
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