Aporrhegma

/ˌæpərˈɛɡmə/ noun

Definition

A piece broken off or a fragment, particularly in medical terminology referring to a splinter or detached piece of bone.

Etymology

From Greek 'apo' (away) + 'rhegnymi' (to break). This medical term was used in ancient Greek medicine to describe fragments, especially in orthopedics and wound treatment.

Kelly Says

When a bone splinters in a complex fracture, sometimes a tiny piece breaks completely free—that fragment is literally what 'aporrhegma' means, and Hippocrates himself used this term to describe these tricky orthopedic injuries.

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