What type of fracture occurs when bone structure deteriorates and breaks under slight pressure?

The correct answer is a pathologic fracture. This type of fracture is characterized by the breaking of a bone that has been weakened by an underlying condition, such as osteoporosis or a tumor. In such cases, even minimal stress or pressure can cause the bone to fracture because it no longer has the structural integrity necessary to withstand normal forces.

Pathologic fractures often occur in bones that have previously been affected by disease processes, leading to their deterioration. This distinguishes them from other fractures that typically result from acute injury or trauma, such as stress fractures that are caused by repetitive forces or simple and compound fractures that arise from impact.

Understanding the nature of pathologic fractures is critical in medical coding because they have specific diagnostic codes related to the underlying conditions that contributed to the bone's weakness, which informs treatment approaches and medical necessity.