Fracture is a medical term used to describe a broken bone, which generally does not injure the skin and is not visible from the outside of the body. An open fracture occurs when the sharp edge of the broken bone punctures the skin and protrudes from inside the body, or there is a foreign object causing the wound and penetrating into the bone. These types of fractures require immediate treatment from first responders to reduce the potential for infection and ensure proper healing. In addition, open fractures also cause damage to the surrounding muscles, tendons, and ligamentous structures that make healing and healing difficult.
Step
Method 1 of 3: Responding to Open Fractures Quickly
Step 1. Call emergency services immediately
Open fractures are at high risk for infection and other potential serious physical trauma. The sooner you get medical help, the lower the risk of the wound becoming infected. Call the nearest 118/health care provider or ask a specific person to call for help while you are taking treatment.
Step 2. Ask the victim how she got hurt
If you don't see an accident happening, ask the victim for a brief overview of the incident as soon as possible. Do this while calling emergency services and gathering items needed to treat the wound. Depending on how much blood is lost, or if the victim is unconscious, you will be the one to explain how the accident happened to emergency services. Emergency services personnel will ask:
- How do fractures occur: from a fall, a car accident, a collision, or during a sporting event?
- How did the wound look immediately after the accident and did the wound get bigger?
- How much blood was lost?
- Does the victim need therapy to cope with the shock?
Step 3. Determine which part of the body has an open wound and whether the bone is protruding from the skin
You should not touch it; Just pay attention to the wound. Treatment will be different for open wounds caused by a foreign object piercing the skin or due to the sharp edge of the bone penetrating the skin. The severity of the injury also varies. There may be only a small open wound on the skin with no visible bone or a wound containing a fairly large portion of bone.
Real bones are dull white in color and not entirely bright white as in the skeletal model. The bones are white ivory, like the teeth and tusks of an elephant
Step 4. Do not remove any foreign object that has pierced the body
The stab wound may have penetrated the artery. If the object is removed, the artery will bleed profusely and the victim will bleed out quickly and die. Instead, treat the injured body part with the foreign object holding it firmly in place, being careful not to touch and move the object.
Step 5. Determine if there are other injuries to the body that could threaten the victim's life
Due to the amount of force required to cause a fracture, there is a 40-70% chance of another serious trauma to the body that could threaten the victim's life. These injuries can include heavy bleeding from an open wound.
Method 2 of 3: Giving First Aid Treatment
Step 1. Review the situation
Emergency services will not arrive quickly if the victim is injured in an accident while climbing. Emergency services will arrive more quickly in densely populated areas, but first aid is still important.
If you have access to first aid kits or gloves, make sure you wear them to protect yourself from any blood-borne illness
Step 2. Take a picture of the victim's wound
Use a digital camera or phone camera to take pictures of the victim's wounds before administering first aid. Providing emergency services with a picture of the wound helps reduce airborne exposure of the wound, as they have to re-wrap the wound to see the inside.
Step 3. Cover the wound with a sterile bandage and control the bleeding
If you have a sterile bandage, use it to cover the wound and apply pressure to stop bleeding around the bone. However, sanitary napkins or diapers can also be used if a sterile bandage is not available. Both items are cleaner than objects around the scene and can reduce the risk of infection. If neither of these are available, use a white cloth first, such as a t-shirt or bed sheet. If all of the above ingredients are not found, just use the cleanest cloth available.
Step 4. Make a temporary splint using a solid object on the injured body part
Support the injured body part to reduce pain and discomfort to the victim using soft towels, pillows, clothing, or blankets. If these are not available, do not move the victim or the injured body part and wait for emergency services to splint the area.
Step 5. Check and correct for shock
The force that causes injury and prolonged trauma can shock the victim. This condition can be life threatening for the victim. Signs of shock include: feeling weak, breathing in and out short and fast, cold and clammy skin, blue lips, a fast but weak heart rate, and restlessness.
- Try to position the victim's head lower than the body. The position of the feet must also be elevated only if not injured.
- Make the victim feel as comfortable as possible. Cover the victim's body with a blanket jacket, or whatever else is available to keep him warm.
- Check the victim's vital signs. Make sure the victim's heart rate and breathing continue to run normally.
Method 3 of 3: Understanding Proper Medical Treatment
Step 1. Provide the information requested by the emergency services personnel
The ER doctor will ask for some information about the accident, past medical history, and the medications the patient is currently taking. Although an open fracture can be clearly seen, the doctor will assume that there is a wound in the fracture area.
Step 2. Anticipate prophylactic treatment, which means the doctor will try to prevent infection from occurring
Before styling the bone and closing the wound, the doctor will give antibiotics and see if the patient needs a tetanus shot. The doctor will give a tetanus shot if the patient has not had one in the last five years. This step is taken to reduce the risk of infection and speed up the healing process.
- Your doctor will give you an infusion of antibiotics to cover a broad spectrum of bacteria. Each type of bacteria is sensitive to different types of antibiotics. The method of delivery of drugs by infusion will be through the digestive tract and deliver antibiotics to cells more quickly.
- If the victim doesn't remember the last time he or she had a tetanus shot, the doctor will run the risk of being mistaken and administering the shot. Although the injection is painless, the tetanus shot will be painful for up to three days.
Step 3. Anticipate surgery
The standard medical treatment for open fractures is surgery. From cleaning wounds in the operating room to stabilizing bones and re-closing wounds, all of these measures aim to reduce infection, increase healing potential, and accelerate the restoration of function to the surrounding bones and joints.
- Upon entering the operating room, the surgeon will use an antibiotic and saline solution to clean the wound of debris, remove torn tissue, and prepare for bone stabilization and closure of the wound.
- The broken bone will be straightened using plates and screws to stabilize it during the healing process.
- The part of the body that has a fracture is usually closed with stitches or staples if there is a large group of muscles around it. Staples should be removed when the wound has healed.
- A mold or splint can be used to stabilize the area. The mold can be removed so that the wound can be treated or the injured area of the body can be left exposed to the open air, and an external stabilizer can be used to replace it. An external stabilizer uses pins on the feet that are connected to a long stabilizing bar on the outside to keep the area stable. The patient is not allowed to use the joints at the bottom or above the external stabilization device is placed.
Step 4. Anticipate possible complications from fractures
Victims of open fractures are at risk for complications from wound infection, tetanus infection, neurovascular injury, and compartment syndrome. An infection can result in the invoice not fused together, which means the bone does not rejoin. This condition can lead to bone infection and possible amputation.
Infection rates vary. Open leg (tibial) fractures have the highest risk of infection, ranging from 25-50%, which significantly affects the healing process and restoration of bone function. The chance of infection can be as high as 20% in other serious cases. However, the shorter the gap between the accident and medical treatment, the less likely the patient is to get an infection
Warning
- Do not attempt to adjust or push the bone back into place by yourself.
- Control the bleeding using pressure on the wound, but around the protruding bone.
- Open fractures are at high risk for infection. Touch the injured area as little as possible and cover it with a sterile bandage if possible.
