Intravenous antibiotics are important in the management of such injuries, along with thorough irrigation and debridement of any devitalized tissue at the fracturesite.
To be termed a compound fracture, outside air with bacteria and debris are able to access the fracturesite without skin or soft tissue serving as a barrier.
Compound fractures are time sensitive and need to be treated immediately with copious irrigation to thoroughly clean the site of injury, followed by stabilization of the fracture with special hardware or mechanical devices (rods or pins).