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Bone Fractures: Generalities

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Textbook of Musculoskeletal Disorders

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Abstract

A bone fracture is defined as a medical condition in which a partial or complete interruption of the bone integrity occurs due to mechanical trauma. The bone tissue repairs without scarring. The repair starts with the formation of an elastic soft tissue called bone callus, which is then replaced by a new hard bone. The fracture callus aims to prevent mobility in the fracture site. Fractures occurring during growth have specific features since the bone tissue is elastic and the growth plate is open.

The standard classifications of fractures are based on the anatomical features of the lesion and depend on each bone. However, comprehensive classification systems have been proposed in order to improve communication between surgeons.

In some cases, fractures may determine specific complications such as consolidation delay (or pseudoarthrosis) and infections.

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Further Reading

  • Rockwood CA, Green DP, Bucholz RW. Rockwood and greens: fractures in adults. 4th ed. Philadelphia New York: Lippincott; 1996.

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  • Longo UG, Loppini M, Denaro L, Maffulli N, Denaro V. Osteoporotic vertebral fractures: current concepts of conservative care. Br Med Bull. 2012;102:171–89.

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  • Longo UG, De Salvatore S, Mazzola A, Salvatore G, Mera BJ, Piergentili I, Denaro V. Colles’ fracture: an epidemiological nationwide study in Italy from 2001 to 2016. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2023;20(5):3956.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Medicine, University CEU—San Pablo, Campus de Montepríncipe, Madrid, Spain

    Francisco Forriol

  2. Department of Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgery, Campus Bio-Medico University, Rome, Italy

    Alessandro Mazzola

Authors
  1. Francisco Forriol
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  2. Alessandro Mazzola
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Campus Bio-Medico, Rome, Italy

    Umile Giuseppe Longo

  2. Research Unit of Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgery, Department of Medicine and Surgery, Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma, Rome, Italy

    Vincenzo Denaro

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© 2023 The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG

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Forriol, F., Mazzola, A. (2023). Bone Fractures: Generalities. In: Longo, U.G., Denaro, V. (eds) Textbook of Musculoskeletal Disorders. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-20987-1_28

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-20987-1_28

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-031-20986-4

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-031-20987-1

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

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