EXCR: OBone Fractures, Repair, and Joint Pathologi

Vocabulary practice flashcards covering bone fracture types, stages of fracture repair, common joint pathologies (arthritis types, sprains/strains, dislocations), and skeletal metabolic disorders like osteoporosis.

Fracture

Any break in a bone.

Stress Fracture

A series of microscopic fissures in bone that forms without any evidence of injury to other tissues, often resulting from repeated strenuous activities or conditions like osteoporosis.

Fracture Hematoma

A mass of blood (usually clotted) that forms around the site of a bone fracture within $6$ to $8\text{ hours}$ after injury due to broken blood vessels.

Fibrocartilaginous (Soft) Callus

A mass of repair tissue consisting of collagen fibers and cartilage produced by periosteal fibroblasts and chondroblasts that bridges the broken ends of a bone, taking about $3\text{ weeks}$ to form.

Bony (Hard) Callus

A mass of spongy bone trabeculae formed by osteoblasts during fracture repair that replaces fibrocartilage and joins living and dead bone fragments, lasting about $3$ to $4\text{ months}$.

Bone Remodeling Phase

The final phase of fracture repair in which dead portions of original bone fragments are resorbed by osteoclasts and compact bone replaces spongy bone around the periphery of the fracture.

Steps in Repair of a Bone Fracture

The sequence of fracture healing involving three main phases: (1) Reactive phase (fracture hematoma formation), (2) Reparative phase (fibrocartilaginous callus formation followed by bony callus formation), and (3) Bone remodeling phase.

Reduction

The process of bringing fractured ends of a bone into alignment; performed either manually (closed reduction) or surgically using internal fixation devices (open reduction).

Open (Compound) Fracture

A fracture in which the broken ends of the bone protrude through the skin.

Closed (Simple) Fracture

A fracture in which the broken ends of the bone do not break through the skin.

Comminuted Fracture

A fracture in which the bone is splintered, crushed, or broken into pieces at the site of impact, leaving smaller bone fragments between the two main fragments.

Greenstick Fracture

A partial fracture in which one side of the bone breaks while the other side bends; occurs exclusively in children whose bones are not fully ossified.

Impacted Fracture

A fracture in which one end of the broken bone is forcefully driven into the interior of the other end.

Pott Fracture

A fracture of the distal end of the lateral leg bone (fibula), accompanied by serious injury to the distal tibial articulation.

Colles Fracture

A fracture of the distal end of the lateral forearm bone (radius) in which the distal fragment is displaced posteriorly.

Rheumatism

Any painful disorder of the supporting structures of the body—bones, ligaments, tendons, or muscles—that is not caused by infection or injury.

Arthritis

A form of rheumatism in which the joints are swollen, stiff, and painful.

Osteoarthritis (OA)

A progressive, degenerative joint disease caused by wear and tear, in which articular cartilage gradually deteriorates and bone spurs develop at joint margins, primarily affecting larger weight-bearing joints.

Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA)

An autoimmune disease where the immune system attacks joint cartilage and linings, causing bilateral inflammation of the synovial membrane, accumulation of fluid, and joint fusion.

Pannus

An abnormal granulation tissue produced by an inflamed synovial membrane in rheumatoid arthritis that adheres to and erodes articular cartilage.

Gouty Arthritis

A painful form of arthritis caused by the deposition of sodium urate crystals in joint soft tissues, resulting from excessive blood levels of uric acid.

Lyme Disease

A bacterial infection caused by Borrelia burgdorferi and transmitted by deer ticks (Ixodes dammini), which can cause a bull's-eye rash, joint stiffness, and advanced-stage arthritis in major joints.

Sprain

The forcible wrenching or twisting of a joint that stretches or tears its ligaments without dislocating the bones.

Strain

A stretched or partially torn muscle or muscle and tendon, often occurring when a muscle contracts suddenly and powerfully.

PRICE Therapy

An initial treatment protocol for soft tissue injuries comprising Protection, Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation.

Tenosynovitis

Inflammation of the tendons, tendon sheaths, and synovial membranes surrounding certain joints, frequently resulting from trauma, strain, or repetitive movements.

Dislocation (Luxation)

The displacement of a bone from a joint accompanied by tearing of ligaments, tendons, and articular capsules.

Subluxation

A partial or incomplete dislocation of a bone from a joint.

Arthralgia

Pain in a joint.

Bursectomy

The surgical removal of a bursa.

Chondritis

Inflammation of cartilage.

Synovitis

Inflammation of a synovial membrane in a joint.

Osteoporosis

A condition of porous bones in which bone resorption outpaces bone deposition, leading to severely depleted bone mass and spontaneous fractures.

Osteopenia

A state of low bone mass that puts individuals at increased risk for developing osteoporosis.

Bone Mineral Density (BMD) Test

A diagnostic procedure performed like an X-ray to measure bone density, evaluate the rate of bone loss, and monitor treatment response for osteoporosis.

FRAX®

An online assessment tool incorporating bone mineral density and patient risk factors to estimate the $10\text{-year}$ probability of an osteoporotic fracture.

Antireabsorptive Drugs

Therapeutic agents (such as bisphosphonates, SERMs, ERT, and HRT) that slow the progression of bone loss by inhibiting osteoclasts or mimicking estrogen.

Bone-Building Drugs

Medications (such as calcitonin/Forteo®) that promote increasing bone mass by stimulating osteoblasts to synthesize new bone.