Final answer:
Internal bleeding and muscle damage caused by a bone fracture can lead to hematoma formation, cell death around the fracture, and can expose and damage bone marrow which can be severe, particularly for the elderly due to associated complications.
Step-by-step explanation:
Internal bleeding and muscle damage around the site of a long bone fracture can lead to a variety of complications. When a bone breaks, blood vessels within and around the bone are often torn, resulting in a hemorrhage. As the blood clots, it forms a fracture hematoma, which serves to stabilize the broken bone ends.
The formation of a hematoma is essential for the bone repair process. However, this disruption of blood flow to the bone can also result in the death of bone cells around the fracture site. Moreover, the injury may expose and damage the yellow marrow in the diaphysis or cause a bruise over the affected muscle. For elderly individuals, complications from a hip fracture due to immobility during the healing process can be serious and may lead to life-threatening conditions such as respiratory failure, pneumonia, infections from pressure sores, and urinary tract infections.