Burst Fracture

fracture /frac·ture/ (frak´cher)

1. the breaking of a part, especially a bone.

2. a break or rupture in a bone.

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avulsion fracture  separation of a small fragment of bone cortex at the site of attachment of a ligament or tendon.

axial compression fracture  fracture of a vertebra by excessive vertical force so that pieces of it move out in horizontal directions.

Barton's fracture  fracture of the distal end of the radius into the wrist joint.

Bennett's fracture  fracture of the base of the first metacarpal bone running into the carpometacarpal joint, complicated by subluxation.

blow-out fracture  fracture of the orbital floor caused by a sudden increase of intraorbital pressure due to traumatic force; the orbital contents herniate into the maxillary sinus so that the inferior rectus or inferior oblique muscle may become incarcerated in the fracture site, producing diplopia on looking up.

burst fracture  axial compression f.

capillary fracture  one that appears on a radiogram as a fine, hairlike line, the segments of bone not being separated; sometimes seen in fractures of the skull.

closed fracture  one that does not produce an open wound in the skin; cf. open f.

Colles' fracture  fracture of the lower end of the radius, the lower fragment being displaced backward; if the lower fragment is displaced forward, it is a reverse Colles' fracture.

comminuted fracture  one in which the bone is splintered or crushed.

complete fracture  one involving the entire cross section of the bone.

compound fracture  open f.

depressed fracture , depressed skull fracture fracture of the skull in which a fragment is depressed.

de Quervain's fracture  fracture of the navicular bone together with a volar luxation of the lunate bone.

direct fracture  one at the site of injury.

dislocation fracture  fracture of a bone near an articulation with concomitant dislocation of that joint.

Dupuytren's fracture  Pott's f.

Duverney's fracture  fracture of the ilium just below the anterior inferior spine.

fissure fracture  a crack extending from a surface into, but not through, a long bone.

freeze fracture  see freeze-fracturing.

greenstick fracture  one in which one side of a bone is broken, the other being bent.

hangman's fracture  fracture through the pedicles of the axis (C2) with or without subluxation of the second cervical vertebra or the third.

impacted fracture  one in which one fragment is firmly driven into the other.

incomplete fracture  one which does not entirely destroy the continuity of the bone.

insufficiency fracture  a stress fracture that occurs during normal stress on a bone of abnormally decreased density.

intrauterine fracture  fracture of a fetal bone incurred in utero.

Jefferson's fracture  fracture of the atlas (first cervical vertebra).

lead pipe fracture  one in which the bone cortex is slightly compressed and bulged on one side with a slight crack on the other side of the bone.

Le Fort fracture  bilateral horizontal fracture of the maxilla. Le Fort fractures are classified as follows: Le Fort I f., a horizontal segmented fracture of the alveolar process of the maxilla, in which the teeth are usually contained in the detached portion of the bone. Le Fort II f., unilateral or bilateral fracture of the maxilla, in which the body of the maxilla is separated from the facial skeleton and the separated portion is pyramidal in shape; the fracture may extend through the body of the maxilla down the midline of the hard palate, through the floor of the orbit, and into the nasal cavity. Le Fort III f., a fracture in which the entire maxilla and one or more facial bones are completely separated from the craniofacial skelton; such fractures are almost always accompanied by multiple fractures of the facial bones.

Monteggia's fracture  one in the proximal half of the shaft of the ulna, with dislocation of the head of the radius.

open fracture  one in which a wound through the adjacent or overlying soft tissues communicates with the site of the break.

parry fracture  Monteggia's f.

pathologic fracture  one due to weakening of the bone structure by pathologic processes, such as neoplasia, osteomalacia, or osteomyelitis.

ping-pong fracture  a type of depressed skull fracture usually seen in young children, resembling the indentation that can be produced with the finger in a ping-pong ball; when elevated it resumes and retains its normal position.

Pott's fracture  fracture of the lower part of the fibula, with serious injury of the lower tibial articulation, usually a chipping off of a portion of the medial malleolus, or rupture of the medial ligament.

pyramidal fracture (of maxilla)  Le Fort II f.

sagittal slice fracture  fracture of a vertebra breaking it in an oblong direction; the spinal column above is displaced horizontally, usually causing paraplegia.

silver fork fracture  Colles' f.

simple fracture  closed f.

Smith's fracture  reverse Colles' f.

spiral fracture  one in which the bone has been twisted apart.

spontaneous fracture  pathologic f.

sprain fracture  the separation of a tendon from its insertion, taking with it a piece of bone.

Stieda's fracture  fracture of the internal condyle of the femur.

stress fracture  that caused by unusual or repeated stress on a bone.

transverse facial fracture  Le Fort III f.

transverse maxillary fracture  a term sometimes used for horizontal maxillary fracture (Le Fort I f.).

trophic fracture  one due to nutritional (trophic) disturbance.

wedge-compression fracture  compression fracture of only the anterior part of a vertebra, leaving it wedge-shaped.

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burst fracture

Etymology: ME, bersten + L, fractura, break

any fracture that disperses multiple bone fragments, usually at or near the end of a bone. It frequently occurs in a vertebra.

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Burst Fracture

A traumatic injury caused by high-energy axial loading due to falls from heights or MVAs/RTAs, resulting in vertebral body fractures which may shatter from the force, resulting in an unstable spinal cord with a high risk of paralysis below the region of the fracture
Diagnosis CT, MRI, neurosurgical consultation
Management Clear bone from region, spinal fusion, rehabilitation