Minimally invasive percutaneous plate osteosynthesis for treatment of proximal humeral fractures

Abstract

Objective To explore the clinical application and follow-up results of minimally invasive percutaneous plate osteosynthesis (MIPPO) in treating proximal humeral fractures. Methods From December 2006 to September 2008, MIPPO using locking plate was employed to treat 36 patients (23 males and 13 females) with proximal humeral fracture. According to AO classification, there were four patients with type A2 fractures, 10 with type A3 fractures, five with type B1 fractures, 11 with type B2 fractures, three with type C1 fractures and three with type C2 fractures. Longitudinal or transverse incision was made through anterolateral acromial approach to separate the deltoid muscle and expose the fracture fragments. The direct and indirect reduction of the fractures were performed under direct vision. The locking plate was inserted distally beneath the deltoid muscle and a longitudinal incision was made at the lateral end of the plate. Locking screws were inserted to the proximal and distal plates. Postoperative follow-up was done to provide guidance to functional exercise and evaluate the clinical results. Results The operation lasted for (50.1±11.3) minutes, with intra-operative blood loss of(76±18.7) ml and average operative incision of (4.5±0.8) cm. All the patients were followed up for 12-17 months (average 14 months), which showed that the time of bone healing was (10. 1 ±1.2) weeks. Neer scoring standards showed the total excellence rate of 86%. Conclusion MIPPO is an ideal method for treatment of proximal humeral fractures, for it has the advantages such as safety, minor trauma, short bone healing time, alleviation of pain and good X-ray reduction. Key words: Shoulder fractures; Fracture fixation, internal; Locking proximal humerus plate