American Board of Surgical Assistants (ABSA) Orthopedic Practice Test

Which statement about greenstick fractures is inaccurate?

1. Fracture heals in 6-8 weeks

2. Occurs only in children

3. Fracture must be completed before casting

4. Open reduction with casting is unusual treatment

The correct answer is: Fracture must be completed before casting

The statement indicating that a greenstick fracture must be completed before casting is inaccurate. Greenstick fractures are characterized by a partial fracture of the bone, where one side bends while the other side cracks, resembling the bending of a green twig. Because they are incomplete fractures, they do not necessarily require the fracture to be fully completed (or fully fractured) before casting can take place. Instead, these types of fractures often heal well with the application of a cast, which can support the bone in its deformed state during the healing process, even if the fracture is not complete. This approach allows the bone to heal while maintaining the alignment, and casting can often be done immediately. For additional context, a greenstick fracture is most frequently observed in children due to the flexibility of their bones, which is why the statement implying that it occurs only in children is misleading but not evaluated here. The healing process for greenstick fractures typically occurs within 6-8 weeks, and surgical intervention, such as open reduction, is generally not the first line of treatment due to the nature of the fracture, making the treatment options for these fractures different from complete fractures.