What type of fracture involves the bone being broken into multiple pieces?

A comminuted fracture is characterized by the bone being broken into multiple fragments or pieces. This type of fracture often results from high-impact trauma, where the force applied to the bone is substantial enough to shatter it rather than producing a clean break.

In contrast to other fracture types, such as a greenstick fracture, which is an incomplete fracture typically seen in young animals with softer bone, a comminuted fracture involves a significant degree of bone disruption. Stress fractures are hairline cracks in the bone caused by repetitive stress and do not involve multiple fragments, while pathological fractures occur in bones weakened by disease or other conditions, causing them to break under normal circumstances.

Understanding the nature of comminuted fractures is essential in equine care, as these fractures can lead to complications in healing and may require surgical intervention or specialized treatment to ensure proper recovery.