A compound fracture is?

• A. Fracture of the radius
• B. Fracture from repetitive use
• C. Fracture with a broken bone protruding through the skin
• D. Fracture with the bone splintered into many pieces

Answer: (C)

A compound fracture is an open fracture—the broken bone breaks through the skin, exposing the bone to the outside. This skin breach makes it more serious than a closed fracture because contaminants can enter and infection risk is higher, and there’s a greater chance of surrounding tissue, nerve, or blood vessel injury. Urgent medical care is usually needed, often with antibiotics, cleaning and debridement, and stabilization of the bone.

In first aid, the goal is to protect the area and prevent further harm: immobilize the limb, cover the wound with a sterile dressing, and avoid pushing the bone back.

The other scenarios don’t fit: a fracture of a specific bone (like the radius) describes location, not whether the skin is broken; a fracture from repetitive use is a stress fracture; a bone broken into many pieces describes a comminuted fracture. The defining feature of a compound/open fracture is the bone protruding through the skin.