Treating Fractures in the Field
Lesson 1: Fractures
and Related Injuries
Section II: Fractures
1-4
Section II. FRACTURES
1-4. COMPLETE AND INCOMPLETE FRACTURES
A fracture occurs when a bone is broken. The break may only be a crack in the bone (incomplete fracture) or the bone may be broken into two separate parts (complete fracture). Any fracture can be serious. A fracture of a large bone like the femur can result in a significant loss of blood that, in turn, can result in hypovolemic shock. Complete fractures are also dangerous because the sharp ends of the fractured bone can injure muscle tissues, nerves, and blood vessels. If a rib is fractured in two places, the bone segment between the two fractures may "float" and damage an organ (such as the heart or a lung) or a major blood vessel (such as the aorta).
