Open fractures are more dangerous than closed fractures because they pose a significant risk of severe bleeding and infection. Therefore, they are a higher priority and need to be checked more frequently.
When treating an open fracture:
Do not draw the exposed bone ends back into the tissue.
Do not irrigate the wound. You should:
Cover the wound with a sterile dressing
Splint the fracture without disturbing the wound
Place a moist 4 by 4-inch dressing over the bone end to keep it from drying out
