CPT describes fracture treatment as closed, open, or percutaneous, and these terms do not depend on the fracture being open or closed to the skin. Which statement correctly distinguishes these treatment methods?
- AClosed treatment always means the fracture never broke the skin, while open treatment always means the overlying skin was broken by the original injury.
- BPercutaneous treatment means the fracture site is surgically opened so the fragments are directly visualised by the surgeon before any fixation is placed.
- COpen treatment and percutaneous skeletal fixation are interchangeable terms because both of them place hardware in order to stabilise the fractured bone.
- DClosed treatment leaves the site unopened, open treatment surgically exposes the fracture, and percutaneous skeletal fixation is placed through the skin without opening the site. Correct
Why A is wrong: Tempting because the words match wound status, but CPT ties the terms to the surgical approach used, not to whether the injury itself broke the skin.
Why B is wrong: Tempting because fixation hardware is placed, but direct surgical exposure and visualisation defines open treatment, whereas percutaneous fixation is placed through the skin without opening the site.
Why C is wrong: Tempting because both use fixation devices, but the two are distinct: open exposes the fracture directly, while percutaneous fixation is placed through the skin without exposing the site.
Why D is correct: Correct: CPT bases these terms on the approach, so closed keeps the site unopened, open surgically exposes and visualises the fracture, and percutaneous places fixation across the fracture through the skin under imaging.