Musculoskeletal Key

STAGES OF HEALING Inflammation The stage of inflammation begins at the time of injury when bleeding at the fracture site from the bone and surrounding soft tissue causes hematoma formation….

Fracture fragments can also be rotationally displaced. After fracture, the distal fragment is rotated along the long axis of the bone by muscle spasm or by the pull of gravity,…

FRACTURE SITES In the initial evaluation of any fracture, the examiner must identify the specific location of the fracture within the bone (see Plate 7-21). The different areas of bone…

TYPES OF JOINT INJURY A dislocation is a complete and persistent displacement of the articular surfaces of the bones that make up a joint relative to one another, with disruption…

Proper management of all fractures and dislocations—regardless of location, extent, or severity—is based on three criteria: the integrity of the overlying skin and soft tissues (i.e., open or closed fracture),…

Fibroblasts begin to proliferate in the base of the wound. The fibroblastic proliferation is followed immediately by the development of new capillaries bringing nutrients and oxygen to the newly formed…

The first step in the inflammatory phase is the formation of a blood clot, which controls bleeding and forms a thin fibrin network, bridging the wound margins. Simultaneously, an intense…

After the four-compartment fasciotomy, intraoperative monitoring of compartmental pressure should be performed to document the decompression. Very little muscle should be debrided at the time of initial decompression, because it…

Postoperative care of the forearm includes a bulky dressing and splinting. The dressing is changed in 3 to 4 days in the operating room. Split-thickness skin grafts are almost always…

DECOMPRESSION OF COMPARTMENT SYNDROME There are no satisfactory nonsurgical methods for treating compartment syndromes; however, cooling of the tissue may prolong tolerance to ischemia and proper hydration may help avoid…