Closed Fracture vs. Open Fracture

The preferable type of fracture to have is the closed fracture, because there are less risks involved with it. A closed fracture in more sanitary because the bones remain on the inside and there is much less chance of an infection.

An open fracture is dangerous because when the bone breaks through the skin, it leaves the skin and inside the wound exposed to germs and irritants. This is particularly dangerous in scenarios where the wound comes in contacted with dirt or the ground, like during a sporting event, because the wound may be open long enough for germs to start to cause an infection.

In cases of open fracture scenarios, it is necessary for some level of surgery to repair the damage done to the body. A doctor will have to physically force the broken bone back into the limb that it is sticking out of. Furthermore, the doctor must manually realign the bones, in order to help facilitate proper healing within the affected area.

Now, with a closed fracture, there is usually less of a risk of infection, however, some forms of closed fractures can be very difficult to reset because of the nature in which the bone breaks. A spiral fracture or an oblique fracture are two examples of difficult closed fractures to deal with. In many instances, surgery must be done anyway to reset and realign the broken bones and in severe cases, screws, plates, and other little implements might also be used to fasten the bones together and make the bone more conducive to regrowing properly.