Localized swelling filled with blood following a fracture is a ...

• A. Hematoma
• B. Bony callus
• C. Open fracture
• D. Cervical

Answer: (A)

When a bone breaks, nearby blood vessels are torn and bleed into the surrounding tissue, creating a localized collection of blood. This blood-filled swelling is called a hematoma. It appears soon after the fracture and is the first step in the healing process, providing a temporary matrix that inflammatory cells and later cells use to begin repair. Over time, the hematoma is gradually replaced by a soft callus and then a hard bony callus as healing progresses.

The other terms aren’t describing this initial response: a bony callus is the later bone that forms as healing continues; an open fracture refers to a break that communicates with the outside through the skin; cervical simply refers to a neck region and isn’t related to the swelling after fracture.