Outcome of radial nerve injury associated with fracture humeral shaft fractures treated with open reduction and internal fixation

Abstract

Radial nerve palsy with humeral shaft fracture is common injury which can result in significant motor and sensory impairment of the arm and the wrist, leading to a serious handicap. We attempted to find out the incidence of radial nerve palsy associated with humeral shaft fractures and its outcome after open reduction and internal fixation in 25 patients of complete primary radial nerve palsy in a total of 160 adult patients of with diaphyseal fracture of humerus with mean age of 33.2 years. The union was achieved in all 25 patients, at mean on 16.2 weeks with mean DASH score of 21.2 with 22 (88%) patient had excellent to good outcome and only one patients had poor outcome and fair results in 2 patients. In all the patients except in one patient, the nerve recovered fully within 9 months with mean recovery time of 14.1 weeks (range 4 weeks to 7 months). To conclude, Radial nerve palsy is common with middle third oblique fractures of humeral shaft which is commonly neuropraxia with anatomical continuity which recovers completely in mean duration of four months without the need of any surgical repair.