Which type of fracture involves a bone protruding through the skin?

Which type of fracture involves a bone protruding through the skin?

• A. Closed fracture
• B. Simple fracture
• C. Compound fracture
• D. Stress fracture

Answer: (C)

The key idea is distinguishing open (bone exposed) fractures from others. When a fracture involves the bone breaking through the skin, it creates an open wound, classically called a compound fracture. That skin breach indicates contamination risk and more tissue damage, so it’s treated as more urgent and managed differently than fractures where the skin remains intact. This is why it’s the best description: the bone protrudes, which is the defining feature of an open fracture. In contrast, a closed fracture has no skin break, a simple fracture is another term often used for a closed fracture, and a stress fracture is a small crack from repetitive stress that doesn’t involve the bone piercing the skin.

The key idea is distinguishing open (bone exposed) fractures from others. When a fracture involves the bone breaking through the skin, it creates an open wound, classically called a compound fracture. That skin breach indicates contamination risk and more tissue damage, so it’s treated as more urgent and managed differently than fractures where the skin remains intact.

This is why it’s the best description: the bone protrudes, which is the defining feature of an open fracture. In contrast, a closed fracture has no skin break, a simple fracture is another term often used for a closed fracture, and a stress fracture is a small crack from repetitive stress that doesn’t involve the bone piercing the skin.