The LPN knows that a patient with which type of fracture is at the highest risk of infection?

A. Comminuted: A comminuted fracture involves the bone breaking into multiple pieces, which can complicate healing, but the skin may remain intact. While the risk of infection exists if surgery is required, it is not inherently higher than other fracture types that breach the skin. B. Displaced: A displaced fracture occurs when bone fragments are misaligned. Although alignment issues can affect healing and require surgical intervention, infection risk is primarily associated with exposure to the external environment, not displacement alone. C. Open: Open (or compound) fractures involve a break in the skin, exposing the bone and surrounding tissue to the external environment. This direct exposure significantly increases the risk of bacterial contamination and subsequent infection, making it the highest-risk fracture type. D. Greenstick: Greenstick fractures are incomplete fractures commonly seen in children, where the bone bends and cracks without breaking completely. Since the skin remains intact, the risk of infection is minimal compared to open fractures.