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Medical Disability Advisor  >  Fracture  >  Definition

Fracture

Related Terms

  • Bone Break
  • Compound Fracture
  • Crack Fracture
  • Failed-union Fracture
  • Greenstick Fracture
  • March Fracture
  • Nonunion Fracture
  • Open Fracture
  • Split Fracture
  • Stress Fracture

Differential Diagnoses

Specialists

  • Occupational Therapist
  • Orthopedic (Orthopaedic) Surgeon
  • Physiatrist
  • Physical Therapist

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Factors Influencing Duration

Dominant versus non-dominant side, weight bearing status, type of immobility device, treatment method, and associated complications affect length of disability. In addition, the bone, its location, and severity of fracture affect disability.

Medical Codes

ICD-9-CM:
733.1 - Pathologic Fracture; Spontaneous Fracture
767.2 - Birth Trauma; Fracture of Clavicle
800 - Fracture of Vault of Skull, Includes Parietal and Frontal Bone
801 - Fracture of Base of Skull; Anterior; Middle; Posterior; Occiput Bone; Orbital Roof; Ethmoid; Frontal; Sphenoid Bone; Temporal Bone
802 - Fracture, Face Bones
802.0 - Fracture, Nasal Bones, Closed
802.1 - Fracture, Nasal Bones, Open
802.2 - Fracture of Mandible, Closed, Inferior Maxilla; Lower Jaw (Bone)
803 - Other and Unqualified Skull Fractures
804 - Multiple Fractures involving Skull or Face with Other Bones
805 - Fracture of Vertebral Column without Mention of Spinal Cord Injury
806 - Fracture of Vertebral Column with Spinal Cord Injury
807.0 - Closed Fracture of Rib(s)
807.1 - Open Fracture of Rib(s)
808 - Fracture, Pelvis
810 - Fracture, Clavicle
811 - Fracture, Scapula (Shoulder Blades)
812 - Fracture of Humerus
812.0 - Closed Fracture of Upper End of Humerus
812.1 - Open Fracture of Upper End of Humerus
812.2 - Closed Fracture of Unspecified Part of Humerus
812.3 - Open Fracture of Shaft or Unspecified Part of Humerus
812.4 - Closed Fracture of Humerus, Distal End; Closed Fracture of Elbow
812.5 - Open Fracture of Lower End of Humerus
813 - Fracture of Radius and Ulna
813.0 - Fracture of Upper End of Radius and Ulna, Closed; Proximal End
813.1 - Open Fracture of Radius and Ulna, Upper End
813.2 - Closed Fracture of Shaft of Radius and Ulna
813.3 - Fracture, Radius and Ulna, Shaft, Open
813.4 - Closed Fracture of Lower End of Forearm
813.5 - Fracture, Lower End of Forearm, Open
813.8 - Closed Fracture of Unspecified Part of Radius with Ulna
813.9 - Open Fracture of Unspecified Part of Radius with Ulna
814 - Fracture of Carpal Bone(s)
815 - Fracture of Metacarpal Bone(s)
816 - Fracture, Phalanges of Hand (One or More)
820 - Fracture of Neck of Femur
821 - Fracture of Femur, Other and Unspecified Parts
822.0 - Closed Fracture of Patella
822.1 - Open Fracture of Patella
823.0 - Closed Fracture of Upper End of Tibia or Fibula
823.1 - Open Fracture of Upper End of Tibia or Fibula
823.2 - Closed Fracture of Shaft of Tibia or Fibula
823.3 - Open Fracture of Shaft of Tibia or Fibula
823.8 - Closed Fracture of Tibia and Fibula, Unspecified Part
823.9 - Open Fracture of Tibia and Fibula, Unspecified Part
824 - Fracture of Ankle
824.0 - Closed Fracture of Medial Malleolus: Closed Fracture of Tibia Involving Ankle, Malleolus
824.1 - Open Fracture of Medial Malleolus
824.2 - Closed Fracture of Lateral Malleolus
824.3 - Open Fracture of Lateral Malleolus
824.4 - Closed Bimalleolar Fracture; Potts Fracture
824.5 - Open Bimalleolar Fracture
824.6 - Closed Trimalleolar Fracture
824.7 - Open Trimalleolar Fracture
825 - Fracture of Tarsal and Metatarsal Bones, One or More
825.0 - Closed Fracture of Calcaneus (Heel Bone)
825.1 - Open Fracture of Calcaneus (Heel Bone)
826.0 - Closed Fracture of Phalanges of Foot, One or More
826.1 - Open Fracture of Phalanges of Foot, One or More

Definition

© Reed Group
Fractures are a structural break and disruption in bones of any size or shape. A fracture occurs when force is applied to a bone in an amount greater than it can support. The amount of force required to cause a fracture depends on the composition and strength of the bone. The force may be a direct force as from a blow, a twisting force, or repeated pounding on the same bone. Fractures can also occur because of diseases that affect the strength of the bone or the protective structures around it (pathological fractures, fractures into bone tumors). Repeated impact and stress on an area of bone can potentially cause a break referred to as a stress fracture. For example, marching or running can cause repeated stress on a bone and potentially result in a stress fracture.

There are many types of fractures, which are defined by the number of bone fragments affected and their position. All fractures are described in terms of five different categories: location of the bone in the body (anatomic location), direction of the fracture lines (transverse, oblique, spiral, comminuted, or impacted), the relation of the bone pieces to each other (alignment and apposition), the stability of the fracture, and the amount of soft tissue damage around the fracture (simple or closed, compound or open, complicated, uncomplicated). Muscles attached to the bones involved often pull the fracture fragments out of position, especially if the muscles go into spasm. This can change the status of a fracture from one where the fragments have not shifted out of position (nondisplaced) to one where they have become displaced.

Risk: Individuals of an advanced age, individuals exposed to falls and/or objects falling on them, as well as those involved in high-risk activities performed with high-impact or at high-velocity are at increased risk for fractures.

Source: Medical Disability Advisor






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