Which describes a compound fracture?

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

Answer: (A)

An open (compound) fracture occurs when the broken bone breaks through the skin, leaving a wound that communicates with the fracture site. This creates direct exposure of bone and tissue to the outside environment and raises infection risk, which is the hallmark of a compound fracture. The description in question fits this scenario because the bone protrudes through the skin. In contrast, a fracture of the radius could be anything from simple to open, but by itself it doesn’t specify skin involvement; a fracture from repetitive use points to a stress fracture from overuse rather than an open wound; a bone splintered into many pieces describes a comminuted fracture, which may or may not breach the skin. The defining feature of a compound fracture is the skin being broken and the bone exposed.