A fracture in which the bone breaks and bone extends through the skin is called what?

• A. Doheny fracture
• B. Fatigue fracture or stress fracture
• C. Fusion
• D. Compound fracture

Answer: (D)

An open fracture is the correct idea here. It happens when the bone breaks and then sticks out through a wound in the skin, so the skin is broken and the bone or injury is exposed. That exposure sets it apart from a closed fracture, where the skin remains intact. Open fractures carry a higher risk of infection and require prompt, thorough treatment—cleaning the wound (debridement), antibiotics, tetanus prophylaxis, and stabilization of the bone, sometimes with external or internal fixation.

The other terms don’t fit this description: a Doheny fracture isn’t a standard term for a fracture; a fatigue or stress fracture results from repetitive loading and does not involve the bone breaking through the skin; fusion refers to a surgical procedure to join bones, not a fracture type. So the best match is the compound (open) fracture.