COMMINUTED FRACTURE Meaning and
Definition
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A comminuted fracture is a type of bone fracture characterized by the shattering or splintering of the affected bone into multiple fragments. It is a severe injury that occurs when a bone is subjected to a significant force or trauma, often through high-energy accidents like car crashes or falls from great heights.
Unlike other types of fractures where the bone may break in one or two pieces, a comminuted fracture involves the bone breaking into three or more fragments. This results in a complex fracture pattern, with multiple small pieces of bone separated from the main bone structure.
Comminuted fractures are typically more difficult to treat than simple or even compound fractures due to the complexity of the bone fragments involved. They often require specialized surgical intervention, such as open reduction internal fixation (ORIF), where the bone fragments are realigned and held together with metal plates, screws, or rods.
The severity of a comminuted fracture can vary depending on various factors, including the location of the fracture and the force of the injury. Additionally, comminuted fractures can cause significant pain, swelling, deformity, and impairment of the affected limb or joint.
Proper diagnosis and treatment of a comminuted fracture are crucial to facilitate healing and restore normal bone structure and function. Physical therapy and rehabilitation may be necessary to regain strength and mobility in the affected area.
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Periclasis, the bone is broken into a number of small pieces.
A practical medical dictionary. By Stedman, Thomas Lathrop. Published 1920.
Common Misspellings for COMMINUTED FRACTURE
- xomminuted fracture
- vomminuted fracture
- fomminuted fracture
- domminuted fracture
- cimminuted fracture
- ckmminuted fracture
- clmminuted fracture
- cpmminuted fracture
- c0mminuted fracture
- c9mminuted fracture
- conminuted fracture
- cokminuted fracture
- cojminuted fracture
- comninuted fracture
- comkinuted fracture
- comjinuted fracture
- communuted fracture
- commjnuted fracture
- commknuted fracture
Etymology of COMMINUTED FRACTURE
The word "comminuted" comes from the Latin word "comminutus", which means "reduced to small pieces" or "fragmented". It is derived from the verb "comminuere", which is a combination of the prefix "com-" (meaning "together" or "thoroughly") and the verb "minuere" (meaning "to make smaller" or "to diminish"). Therefore, a comminuted fracture refers to a bone fracture that is broken into multiple small fragments or pieces.
