American Board of Surgical Assistants (ABSA) Orthopedic Practice Test

What characterizes a comminuted fracture?

1. The bone is splintered into fragments

2. The break coils around the bone

3. The break runs parallel with the bone

4. The bone is fractured in a single location

The correct answer is: The bone is splintered into fragments

A comminuted fracture is characterized by the bone being splintered into multiple fragments. This type of fracture occurs when there is a high-energy impact or severe trauma, leading to a complex break where the bone is not merely cracked, but broken into several pieces. This results in a more complicated injury, often requiring surgical intervention to properly realign and stabilize the bone fragments during the healing process. The other options describe different types of fractures. For example, a fracture that coils around the bone typically describes a spiral fracture, which usually results from a twisting force. A fracture running parallel with the bone indicates a linear fracture, characterized by a single, straight crack. Lastly, a single-location fracture represents a simple or closed fracture where the bone breaks in one place without extensive fragmentation or displacement. Recognizing these distinctions helps in diagnosing and treating fractures appropriately.