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It's Both !!

This is a common question that orthopedic surgeons hear all the time. In fact "fracture" and "break" are the same thing. Fracture is just the technical name for a broken bone.

When a physician talks to another physician or writes in a medical journal, he or she will use the word "fracture". When they talk to a patient they frequently use the word "broken bone" to make it clear by using lay words.

So, the statement I frequently hear

"Oh, it is a fracture! That is better than a break, right?""

Open Fracture or closed fracture?

An open fracture is a broken bone where the skin is broken so that the bone protrudes through the skin. A closed fracture is a broken bone where the skin is not broken.

An open fracture is much more serious because the germs from the outside world can reach the bone and cause an infection. Open fractures are emergencies that need immediate medical attention.

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