There are several types of bone fracture, including: Oblique – a fracture which goes at an angle to the axisComminuted – a fracture of many relatively small fragmentsSpiral – a fracture which runs around the axis of the boneCompound – a fracture (also called open) which breaks the skin
Also known as: Splint - instructions
Definition
A splint is a device used for holding a part of the body stable and motionless to decrease pain and prevent further injury.
Considerations
The purpose of a splint is to protect a wounded body part from further damage until you get medical help. It is important to check for good circulation after the injured body part has been immobilized.
Commercial splints are often used to immobilize a body part in the treatment of various disorders.
Causes
Splints can be used for many different injuries. Any time there is a broken bone, stabilizing the area is important.
First Aid
1. Care for all wounds first before applying a splint.
2. An injured body part should usually be splinted in the position in which it was found.
3. Find something rigid to use as supports to make the splint such as sticks, boards, or even rolled up newspapers. If none can be found, use a rolled blanket or clothing. An injured body part can also be taped to an uninjured body part in order to prevent it from moving. For example, you can tape an injured finger to the finger next to it to keep it immobile.
4. Extend the splint beyond the injured area in order to keep it from moving. In general, try to include the joint above and below the injury in the splint.
5. Secure the splint with ties (belts, cloth strips, neckties, etc.), or tape above and below the injury (make sure the knots are not pressing on the injury). Avoid over-tightening which can cut off the circulation.
6. Check the area of the injured body part frequently for swelling, paleness, or numbness. If necessary, loosen the splint.
7. Seek professional medical attention.
Do Not
DO NOT make any attempts to change the position of, or realign an injured body part. Be careful when you place a split to avoid causing more injuries. Be sure to pad the splint well to avoid putting extra pressure on the injured limb.
Call immediately for emergency medical assistance if
If an injury occurs while in a remote area, call for emergency medical assistance as soon as possible. In the meantime, give first aid to the patient.
The following require immediate medical help:
Bone that is sticking through the skin
Loss of feeling (sensation)
Loss of pulse or a feeling of warmth beyond the injured site
If any of these situations occur and medical assistance is not available, and the injured part looks to be abnormally bent, gently replacing the injured part back into its normal position may improve the circulation.
Prevention
Safety is the best way to avoid broken bones caused by falling. Some diseases make bones break easier, so extreme caution should be used when assisting a person with fragile bones.
Avoid activities that strain the muscles or bones for long periods of time as these can cause fatigue and falls. Always use proper protective gear, such as proper footwear, pads, braces, and helmets.
Atrial septal defect (ASD) is a congenital heart defect in which the wall that separates the upper heart chambers (atria) does not close completely. Congenital means the defect is present at birth.
Bladder exstrophy repair is surgery to repair a birth defect in which the bladder is inside out and sticks out of the abdominal wall. The pelvic bones are also separated.
Lung surgery is surgery to repair or remove lung tissue. Several common lung surgeries are:
Lobectomy, to remove one or more lobes of a lung
Wedge resection, to remove part of a lobe in a lung
Pneumonectomy, to remove a lung
Surgery to remove an infection or blood in the chest cavity
Surgery to ...
Diskectomy is surgery to remove all or part of a cushion that helps protect your spinal column. These cushions, called disks, separate your spinal bones (vertebrae).
When one of your disks (moves out of place), the soft gel inside pushes through the wall of the disk. The disk may then place ...
Small bowel resection is surgery to remove part or all of your small bowel. It is done when part of your small bowel is blocked or diseased.
The small bowel is also called the small intestine. Most digestion (breaking down and absorbing nutrients) of the food you eat takes place in the small ...
Umbilical hernia repair is surgery to repair an . An umbilical hernia is a sac (pouch) formed from the inner lining of your belly (abdominal cavity) that pushes through a hole in the abdominal wall at the belly button.
Ventriculoperitoneal shunting is surgery to relieve increased pressure inside the skull due to excess cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) on the brain ().
This article primarily discusses shunt placement in children.
See also:
The diaphragm is a large dome-shaped muscle that separates the chest cavity (where your heart and lungs are) from the belly area. The diaphragm is a very important muscle for breathing.
A is an opening or tear in the diaphragm. Diaphragmatic hernias in babies are very rare and occur in one out of ...
A dislocation is a separation of two bones where they meet at a joint. (Joints are areas where two bones come together.) A dislocated bone is no longer in its normal position, which may result in damage to ligaments, nerves, and blood vessels.
Shoulder arthroscopy is surgery that uses a tiny camera called an arthroscope to examine or repair the tissues inside or around your shoulder joint. The arthroscope is inserted through a small incision (cut) in your skin.
Spleen removal (splenectomy) is surgery to remove a diseased or damaged spleen. This organ is in the upper part of your belly, on the left side underneath the rib cage.
The spleen helps your body fight germs and infections. It also helps filter your blood.
Knee microfracture surgery is a common procedure used to repair . Cartilage is the material that helps cushion the area where bones meet in the joints. Often, athletes have this procedure.
Abdominal wall surgery is surgery that improves the appearance of flabby, stretched-out abdominal (belly) muscles and skin. It is often called a “tummy tuck.” It can range from a simple “mini-tummy tuck” to more complicated, extended surgery.
Tummy tuck is not the same as ...
Parathyroidectomy is surgery to remove parathyroid glands or parathyroid tumors. The parathyroid glands are right behind your thyroid gland in your neck. These glands help your body make calcium.
Carpal tunnel release is surgery to treat . Carpal tunnel syndrome is pain and weakness in the hand that is caused by pressure on the median nerve in the wrist.
Blastomycosis is a rare infection that may develop when people breathe in (inhale) a fungus called Blastomyces dermatitidis, which is found in wood and soil.
See also:
CPR is a lifesaving procedure that is performed when someone’s breathing or heartbeat has stopped, as in cases of , drowning, or heart attack. CPR is a combination of:
Rescue breathing, which provides oxygen to a person’s lungs.
Chest compressions, which keep the person’s blood ...
Breast lump removal, called lumpectomy, is surgery to remove a breast cancer or other , along with some surrounding tissue from the breast.
This article covers lumpectomy that is done to remove breast cancer. Other reasons to perform a lumpectomy include:
Other noncancerous tumors of the ...
Endoscopic thoracic sympathectomy (ETS) is surgery to treat sweating that is much heavier than normal. This condition is called . Usually the surgery is used to treat sweating in the palms or face. The surgery stops or turns off the nerve signals that tell the part of the body to sweat too much.
Ankle replacement is surgery to replace the damaged parts of the three bones that make up the ankle joint. Artificial joint parts () are used to replace your own bones. They come in different sizes to fit different-size people.
Coronary artery spasm is a temporary, sudden narrowing of one of the coronary arteries (the arteries that supply blood to the heart). The spasm slows or stops blood flow through the artery and starves part of the heart of oxygen-rich blood.
Ventricular assist devices (VAD) help your heart pump blood from the main pumping chamber of your heart (the left ventricle) to the rest of your body. These pumps may be implanted in your body or connected to a pump outside your body.
A heart attack is when blood vessels that supply blood to the heart are blocked, preventing enough oxygen from getting to the heart. The heart muscle dies or becomes permanently damaged. Your doctor calls this a myocardial infarction.
Congenital heart defect corrective surgeries fix or treat heart defects that a child is born with. A baby born with heart defects has . Surgery is needed if the defects are dangerous to the child’s health or well-being.
You have an artery on each side of your neck called the carotid artery. This artery brings needed blood to your brain and face.
The blood flow in this artery can become partly or totally blocked by fatty material called plaque. A partial blockage is called carotid artery stenosis (narrowing). A ...
Omphalocele repair is surgery to repair a birth defect in the wall of the belly (abdomen) in which all or parts of the small intestine, liver, and large intestine stick out of the belly button (navel) in a thin sac.
Other birth defects are also present.
See also:
(a similar defect)
Anti-reflux surgery is surgery to correct a problem with the muscles at the bottom of the esophagus (the tube from your mouth to the stomach). Problems with these muscles allow (GERD) to happen.
This surgery can also repair a .
Shock is a life-threatening condition that occurs when the body is not getting enough blood flow. This can damage multiple organs. Shock requires immediate medical treatment and can get worse very rapidly.
Bleeding refers to the loss of blood. Bleeding can happen inside the body (internally) or outside the body (externally). It may occur:
Inside the body when blood leaks from blood vessels or organs
Outside the body when blood flows through a natural opening (such as the , mouth, or rectum)
Outside ...
Hypospadias repair is surgery to correct a birth defect in boys in which the urethra (the tube that carries urine from the bladder to outside the body) does not end at the tip of the . Instead, it ends on the underside. In more severe cases, the urethra opens at the middle or bottom of the penis, or ...
Pectus excavatum repair is surgery to correct . This is a deformity of the front of the chest wall that causes a sunken breastbone (sternum) and ribs.
Pectus excavatum is often called a funnel or sunken chest. It occurs at birth, and often gets worse during adolescence.
Tracheoesophageal fistula and esophageal atresia repair is surgery to repair two birth defects in your esophagus and trachea. Your esophagus is the tube that carries food from the mouth to the stomach. Your trachea, or windpipe, is the tube that carries air to the lungs.
These defects usually ...
Heart bypass surgery creates a new route, called a bypass, for blood and oxygen to reach your heart.
Minimally invasive coronary (heart) artery bypass can be done without stopping the heart and putting a patient on a heart-lung machine.
See also:
Thyroid gland removal is surgery to remove all or part of the thyroid gland. Your thyroid gland is a butterfly-shaped gland that lies over your trachea (the tube that carries air to your lungs). It is just below your voice box.
Total thyroidectomy removes the entire gland.
Subtotal or partial ...
ACL reconstruction is surgery to replace the ligament in the center of your knee with a new ligament. The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) keeps your shin bone (tibia) in place. A tear of this ligament can cause your knee to give way during physical activity.
Intestinal obstruction repair is surgery to relieve a . A bowel obstruction is when the contents of the intestines cannot pass through and exit the body. A complete obstruction is a surgical emergency.
See also:
Gastric bypass is surgery that is done to help you lose weight. After the surgery, you will not be able to eat as much as before, and your body will not absorb all the calories from the food you eat.
See also:
Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome is a heart condition in which there is an extra electrical pathway (circuit) in the heart. The condition can lead to episodes of rapid heart rate ().
Wolff-Parkinson-White is one of the most common causes of fast heart rate disorders in infants and children.
Knee arthroscopy is surgery that is done to check for problems, using a tiny camera to see inside your knee. Other medical instruments may also be inserted to repair your knee.
Kidney removal, or nephrectomy, is surgery to remove all or part of a kidney. It may involve:
Part of one kidney removed (partial nephrectomy)
All of one kidney removed (simple nephrectomy)
Removal of one entire kidney, surrounding lymph nodes, and the adrenal gland (radical nephrectomy)
Large bowel resection is surgery to remove all or part of your large bowel. This surgery is also called colectomy. The large bowel is also called the large intestine or colon.
Removal of the entire colon and the rectum is called a proctocolectomy.
Removal of part or all of the colon but not the ...
Spinal fusion is surgery to join together two bones (vertebrae) in the spine. Fusing permanently joins two bones together so there is no longer movement between them. Spinal fusion is usually done along with other surgical procedures of the spine.
Meningocele repair (also known as myelomeningocele repair) is surgery to repair birth defects of the spine and spinal membranes. Meningocele and myelomeningocele are types of .
Testicular torsion repair is surgery to untangle a spermatic cord. The spermatic cord is the collection of blood vessels in the scrotum leading to the testicles. If it twists or turns, develops. This torsion (pulling and twisting) blocks blood flow to the testicle.
Patent urachus repair is surgery to repair a bladder defect. In an open (or patent) urachus, there is an opening between the bladder and the umbilicus. This opening almost always closes before birth. An open urachus occurs mostly in infants.
Small intestine surgery – discharge; Bowel resection – small intestine – discharge; Resection of part of the small intestine – discharge; Enterectomy- discharge
Heart surgery in children is done to repair heart defects a child is born with (congenital heart defects) and heart diseases a child gets after birth that need surgery. The surgery is needed for the child’s well-being.
An implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) is a device that detects any life-threatening, rapid heartbeat. If such a heartbeat, called an , occurs, the ICD quickly sends an electrical shock to the heart to change the rhythm back to normal. This is called defibrillation.
Leg or foot amputation is the removal of a leg, foot or toes from the body. These body parts are called extremities. Amputations are done either by surgery, or they occur by accident or trauma to the body.
A pacemaker is a small, battery-operated device that senses when your heart is beating . It sends a signal to your heart that makes your heart beat at the correct pace.
Hypertension is the term used to describe high blood pressure. Essential hypertension refers to high blood pressure when no cause been identified.
Blood pressure is a measurement of the force against the walls of your arteries as the heart pumps blood through the body.
Blood pressure readings ...
Congenital heart surgery – discharge; Patent ductus arteriosus ligation – discharge; Hypoplastic left heart repair – discharge; Tetralogy of Fallot repair – discharge; Coarctation of the aorta repair – discharge; Heart surgery for children – discharge; Atrial ...
Linda J. Vorvick, MD, Medical Director, MEDEX Northwest Division of Physician Assistant Studies, University of Washington, School of Medicine; C. Benjamin Ma, MD, Assistant Professor, Chief, Sports Medicine and Shoulder Service, UCSF Dept of Orthopaedic Surgery. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.
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