Systems, methods, and devices for detecting display panel or other patterned device fractures or microfractures using outer resistive trace(s) on the display panel or the other patterned device. To provide just one example, a system may include a display and data processing circuitry. The display may include a display panel with an outer resistive trace disposed near edges of the display panel. The display may include discontinuity detection circuitry that can detect the occurrence of a discontinuity of the outer resistive trace. The data processing circuitry may determine whether the display panel is likely to suffer a catastrophic failure based at least in part on the occurrence of the discontinuity. The data processing circuitry may also cause the display to display a user warning when the display panel is likely to suffer the catastrophic failure.