AVULSION FRACTURES

Course overview

AVULSION FRACTURES CAN HAPPEN ANYWHERE IN THE BODY WHERE SOFT TISSUE ATTACHES TO THE BONE. THE FAILURE OF BONE MOST COMMONLY RESULTS FROM AN ACUTE EVENT WITH THE APPLICATION OF USUALLY SUDDEN, TENSILE FORCE TO THE BONE THROUGH THE SOFT TISSUE, OR WHEN CHRONIC REPETITIVE AVULSIVE STRESSES LEAD TO A PIECE OF BONE BEING PULLED AWAY BY THE SOFT TISSUE. THEY OFTEN PRESENT WITH DISTINCT MECHANISMS OF INJURY AS WELL AS CONCOMITANT SOFT TISSUE OR INTRA-ARTICULAR INJURIES. THEY CAN BE DIFFICULT TO RECOGNIZE OR APPEAR INSIGNIFICANT, YET EARLY DIAGNOSIS IS KEY TO DIRECTING APPROPRIATE WORK-UP, REFERRAL, AND TREATMENT. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN THE DIAGNOSIS AND MANAGEMENT OF AVULSION FRACTURES.