Osteonecrosis
The blood supply to particular segments of certain bones is unique and one directional. Consequently, some specific fracture patterns are especially likely to create an avascular segment of bone. For…
Posttraumatic Osteoarthritis
Intra-articular fractures are particularly likely to lead to post-traumatic osteoarthritis. Whenever a fracture line extends across the articular surface, the articular cartilage is permanently damaged. The amount of injury can…
Growth Deformity
Limb Shortening. Although limb shortening is a risk in virtually any growth plate fracture, it is particularly common in Salter-Harris type V injuries, in which the growth plate is crushed…
Malunion of Fracture
Angular Malunion. Supracondylar fractures of the humerus are quite unstable, and reduction is difficult to maintain. Even an acceptable reduction may be lost, and the bone typically heals with a…
Implant Failure
Bone mass deficiency may also contribute to implant failure, because stabilization of a fracture with plates and screws depends on the secure fixation of screws in the bone fragments. In…
Gas Gangrene
Gas gangrene may develop when a contaminated open fracture is inadequately debrided. The infection tends to involve the subcutaneous tissue and muscles, sometimes sparing blood vessels, nerves, and bone. Once…
Surgical Management of Open Fractures
If the fracture is accompanied by severe soft tissue injury, stabilization of the fracture with an external fixation device facilitates wound care. An external fixation device will many times need…
Neurovascular Injury
Radial Nerve Palsy. The radial nerve is the most commonly damaged nerve after fractures of the distal shaft of the humerus. Normally protected in the spiral groove of the humeral…
Adult Respiratory Distress Syndrome
Marrow emboli have been identified in the lungs of patients, leading to the term fat embolism syndrome, but ARDS may also develop in the absence of fracture marrow emboli. Studies…
