A compound fracture is?

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

Answer: (B)

A compound fracture means an open fracture, where the bone is broken and communicates with the outside through a wound, often with the bone visible or a skin opening. This description directly captures the defining feature: the fracture creates a break in the skin, exposing the bone and surrounding tissues, which carries a higher risk of infection and requires urgent care. The other descriptions refer to different fracture types or situations—bone fragmentation without skin contact (comminuted), a fracture of a specific bone without indicating openness, or a stress fracture from repetitive use—so they don’t fit the defining open, skin-protruding characteristic of a compound fracture.