CAMRT Radiography Practice Exam

What is a second degree Pott's fracture also known as?

1. Unimalleolar fracture

2. Bimalleolar fracture

3. Trimalleolar fracture

4. Comminuted fracture

The correct answer is: Bimalleolar fracture

A second degree Pott's fracture is also known as a bimalleolar fracture. This term refers to an injury where there are fractures of both the medial and lateral malleoli of the ankle, which is a specific characteristic of bimalleolar fractures. The medial malleolus is the bony prominence on the inner side of the ankle, while the lateral malleolus is on the outer side. Understanding why this designation is used is important, as the proper identification of the fracture type influences treatment decisions. Bimalleolar fractures typically result from a significant force or twisting injury to the ankle and can be associated with ligamentous damage or instability, necessitating careful evaluation and potential surgical intervention. In contrast, unimalleolar fractures involve only one malleolus, trimalleolar fractures involve all three malleoli (the two mentioned above plus the posterior malleolus), and comminuted fractures refer to a type of fracture where the bone is shattered into several pieces, which does not specifically denote the involvement of the malleoli.