Which condition best describes a fracture where the bone has been broken through in multiple places?

A comminuted fracture is characterized by the bone being broken into multiple fragments, indicating that it has sustained severe trauma. This type of fracture can occur due to high-impact incidents such as car accidents or falls from significant heights, resulting in a break that not only disrupts the bone's integrity but also complicates the healing process due to the number of fragments.

In contrast, a greenstick fracture typically involves a partial fracture where the bone bends and cracks on one side, more common in children whose bones are still developing. A simple fracture refers to a clean break without any bone fragments piercing the skin, while a transverse fracture describes a break that occurs straight across the bone. These options do not capture the complexity and multiplicity of fragments seen in a comminuted fracture, which is why this particular term is the most accurate description for a fracture involving multiple breaks.