What Is a Comminuted Fracture?

A comminuted fracture describes the situation where a bone shatters or splinters into 3 of more bone fragments due to excessive force or traumatic impact. In contrast to most fracture types – in which the bone typically forms 2 major fragments – a comminuted fracture results in more fragmented pieces at the fracture site. This type of fracture often necessitates significant medical attention due to its complex nature and challenges in realignment and healing properly.