Abstract

Background: To identify predictors of humerus shaft fractures nonunion in adults whatever the type of treatment performed. Patients and Methods: We conducted a retrospective study among patients who had a fracture of the humeral shaft moving towards healing or nonunion. Patients were treated in the orthopedic trauma unit of Sylvanus Olympio Teaching Hospital and two other private clinics in Lome between January 2008 and June 2012. On the X-ray of each patient, we measured the angulation, the diastasis, and inter fragmentary contact. For each included patient, we looked for: age, sex, medical history, body mass index (BMI), according to the third location of the shaft fracture, the type of fracture according to AO classification and the type of opening according Tscherne classification. Results: During the study period, 184 patients with humeral shaft fracture were identified. Of these 108 were men. The mean age of patients was 37.3 years. The fractures were treated conservatively in 100 patients (54.3%), 78 treated surgically and six (3.3%) have discharged from hospital against medical advice for traditional treatment. The factors that were associated with nonunion of humerus shaft fractures in these patients were: the opening of the fracture (RR = 4.5; 95% CI = [2.9; 7.1]), the presence of immediately radial paralysis (RR = 5.6; 95% CI = [3.7; 8.5]), the existence of other associated lesions or fracture (RR = 1.8; 95% CI = [1.1; 3.1]), energy of the trauma (RR = 2.3; 95% CI = [1.3; 4.4]) and type III classification of Tscherne (RR = 0.3; 95% CI = [0.2; 0.6]). After multivariate analysis, factors that remained significantly associated with the failure of consolidation were: the existence of diastasis > 2 mm (OR = 7.6; 95% CI = [2.2; 25.6)), the Body Mass Index (BMI) > 25 (OR = 1.3; 95% CI = [1.1 - 1.6]) and the existence of other bone lesion (OR = 4.3; 95% CI = [1.4 - 18.9]). Conclusion: BMI greater than 25, the existence of an interfragmentary gap of more than 2 mm and existence of other bone lesions are significant risk factors for nonunion in humerus shaft fractures. The traditional treatment, common singular factor to the African environment, should not be ignored. Control of these predictors is necessary in carrying out the treatment of humerus shaft fractures.

Highlights

  • The frequency of the humeral fractures is between 5% and 8% of all fractures [1]

  • Because of rarity of African studies on this subject, we proposed to identify through our study, factors which, taken separately or combined could explain the occurrence of nonunion in African setting after treatment of humerus shaft fractures

  • We looked for the age, sex, medical history, body mass index (BMI), the location of the fracture of the bone concerned, the type of fracture according to AO classification and the type of opening according to Tscherne classification

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Summary

Introduction

The frequency of the humeral fractures is between 5% and 8% of all fractures [1]. According to Mahmoud El-A Rosay, among humerus shaft fractures, treated conservatively, 2% - 10% and around 15% treated surgically, progress to nonunion [2].Nonunion is a debilitating complication for the patient [3], a challenge for the practitioner [1] and an economic burden to society [4]. We looked for: age, sex, medical history, body mass index (BMI), according to the third location of the shaft fracture, the type of fracture according to AO classification and the type of opening according Tscherne classification. The factors that were associated with nonunion of humerus shaft fractures in these patients were: the opening of the fracture (RR = 4.5; 95% CI = [2.9; 7.1]), the presence of immediately radial paralysis (RR = 5.6; 95% CI = [3.7; 8.5]), the existence of other associated lesions or fracture (RR = 1.8; 95% CI = [1.1; 3.1]), energy of the trauma (RR = 2.3; 95% CI = [1.3; 4.4]) and type III classification of Tscherne (RR = 0.3; 95% CI = [0.2; 0.6]). The traditional treatment, common singular factor to the African environment, should not be ignored Control of these predictors is necessary in carrying out the treatment of humerus shaft fractures

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