Screws used in the body serve the same function as the do in furniture. They act as a mechanical fixator, physically holding two fragments together. They come in a variety of lengths, pitch angles, and head adaptations to suit the majority of procedures used. They have a very high success rate, but...

High strength steel or titanium alloy plates attatched to bones using crews that act as a "new bone". They support the break site, maintain allignment and divert stress from the break site  to prevent subsequent damage.  They are normal left inside the patient post operatively, unless...

Pins are a less invasive alternative to plates and screws, used when less mechanical support is required. They act by anchoring the bone together and maintaining correct allignment while healing occurs. They are thinner than screws, require less surgery to implant and can often be removed when the...

What External fixators do from the outside, intramedullary nails do from inside the bone. Generall steel or titanium alloy rods passed  inside the bone, and anchored to the fragments using screws or wires.

Simple fractures are characterised by a single disruption (i.e. the bone is only "broken" in one place) and the two distal sections are tocuhing when realigned correctly.

A fracture where the distal parts of the bone don't touch when the fracture is correctly aligned

A fracture where the bone does not break the skin

Sometimes known as "Compound Fractures". These are fractures when the bone penetrates the skin.