Any car crash can result in serious injuries to all involved. However, in some of these cases, the damage to the body may prove severe enough to warrant a change in the way an injured person lives.
Catastrophic injuries are often associated with head trauma, spinal cord damage and burns. However, in some instances, a broken bone may also necessitate life-saving measures and a corresponding change in life.
What is a compound fracture?
While any bone break can prove uncomfortable, one is more dangerous to the body than the others. A compound fracture involves a full separation in the bone. This type of break often requires surgery to repair and hardware implanted to reunite the bone.
What is an open compound fracture?
The force of a car accident on the human body can cause a compound fracture, especially in the extremities. The hands and feet absorb much of the initial shock of the crash as energy travels through the vehicle at these points and the force can cause bones in the forearms and lower legs to fracture.
However, in some cases, the force is enough to send the broken bones tearing through tissue and skin. An open compound fracture is a critical medical event and requires immediate and ongoing care.
What makes a compound fracture dangerous?
An open compound fracture allows dirt, debris and bacteria into the body. Medical teams need to act fast to clean the wound, and often, leave the wound open to repeat the process. If the infection infiltrates tissue and bone, doctors may take drastic measures to stop it and start removing compromised tissue and bone.
Any crash can result in a whole host of issues. When the damage to the body necessitates a change of life in some way, it may classify as catastrophic.
