What type of fracture is characterized by misaligned bone ends?

A displaced fracture is specifically defined by the misalignment of the bone ends. In this type of fracture, the broken ends of the bone do not line up correctly and are separated from each other. This misalignment can impact the healing process and typically requires surgical intervention to realign and stabilize the bone for proper healing.

Understanding different types of fractures can clarify why other options do not fit this description. For instance, a fractured clavicle can be displaced, but not all fractures of the clavicle are characterized by misalignment; it could be a simple (non-displaced) fracture as well. A comminuted fracture involves the bone being broken into several pieces, which may or may not be misaligned but is not specifically defined by the alignment of the ends. A cancellous fracture pertains to the spongy type of bone and does not inherently imply any alignment or misalignment issues.

In summary, the defining feature of a displaced fracture is that the bone ends are misaligned, which is why this answer captures the essence of the question.