Plural problem: The patient returns for his left tibia and fibula fracture.

[Gracenot]

I am learning medical transcription and am having a problem with sentences like this:

The patient returns for his left tibia and fibula fracture.

His metatarsal and calcaneus fracture is healing nicely. (I would like "fractures are")

I really would like to type "fractures" but all the doctors dictate the word as singular. My thought is that there are two bones, so more than one fracture. Any advice? Keep in mind, I am not allowed to type tibia fracture and fibula fracture because that increases the line count. sigh... Thank you![/u]

[Alan]

Hi,

From a language point of view (not a medical one) I would suggest that 'fracture' refers in general to the 'breaking' of bones in that area. I would imagine that fracture is used to cover the general picture of the 'breaking' without indicating each separate fracture.

Alan
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[RussianBear]

Hi Alan,

How would you say - 'lyrics is..' or 'lyrics are...'? Although the word is obviously plural, I've got some doubts on how to use it correctly. By 'lyrics' I mean words of some particular song.

[Alan]

Hi RB,

I would say that 'lyrics' indicating the words of a song has to be regarded as plural as in: The lyrics were written by Cole Porter.

Alan.
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