An open fracture is defined as

• A. Overlying skin is no longer intact
• B. Bone fracture with skin intact
• C. Bone structure remains unaffected
• D. Skin only is damaged

Answer: (A)

An open fracture means the bone is broken and the skin over the fracture is disrupted, with a wound that communicates with the fracture site, so the bone is exposed to the outside. This distinguishes it from a closed fracture, where the skin remains intact. Because the skin is breached, there’s a higher risk of contamination and infection, so management focuses on protecting the wound, minimizing movement, and transporting promptly. In practice, cover the wound with a sterile dressing, immobilize with a splint in the position found, monitor distal neurovascular status, control bleeding, and follow local protocols for antibiotics or tetanus prophylaxis. The other descriptions describe conditions that do not involve an open fracture: a closed fracture has skin intact, bone damage is present in a fracture, and truly skin-only injury would not involve a fracture.