What is difference between Comminuted fractures vs. segmental fractures?

What is difference between Comminuted fractures vs. segmental fractures?

Comminuted fractures vs. segmental fractures

Comminuted fractures and segmental fractures are both serious types of bone fractures. They are different terms that tell your healthcare provider specific details about how your bones are broken, where they broke and what they look like inside your body right now.

If you have a comminuted fracture your bone is broken in two or more places. Usually, the trauma that causes comminuted fractures creates shatter-like breaks. If you’ve dropped a plate, the pieces are never uniformly broken. It’s the same with most comminuted fractures.

Segmental fractures happen when a bone is broken in two different places and a section of the bone has separated from the rest of the bone because of the fracture. Some segmental fractures are comminuted, and some are not.

No matter which names and terms end up applied to your fracture, the most important first step is getting your injury examined by a provider as soon as possible. If you have either a comminuted or segmental fracture, you’ve likely experienced a serious injury either way and getting your injuries assessed by a provider is the only way to determine which treatments you’ll need.