Which description best describes a fracture where the bone protrudes through the skin?

• A. Greenstick
• B. Simple
• C. Compound
• D. Comminuted

Answer: (C)

Protrusion of the bone through the skin means the fracture has breached the skin barrier, creating an open fracture. The best description here is a compound fracture, because “compound” (often termed open) specifically denotes bone exposure due to skin break. This differs from a simple (closed) fracture, where the skin remains intact; a greenstick fracture, which is an incomplete bend typical in children; and a comminuted fracture, where the bone is broken into multiple pieces (which can be open or closed, but the defining feature in this scenario is the skin breach). The open nature carries higher infection risk and usually requires urgent management with sterile coverage, antibiotics, tetanus protection, and surgical stabilization.