Abstract

There is no consensus among surgeons on the treatment for humeral fractures: the best it is still a matter of some debate. The aim of our work was to demonstrate that external fixation may be considered a valid method not only in emergencies but also for the definitive treatment of such fractures. We perform a retrospective case study review on 85 humeral fractures, 62 shaft fractures, and 23 extrarticular distal third fractures treated with external fixation. Clinical (Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (DASH) score and SF-36) and radiographic follow-up lasted on average 30 months (minimum 12 to maximum 36). Complete healing of fractures was achieved in 97.6% of cases (83 patients), with an average consolidation time of about 12 weeks (83.2 days). One case of delayed union and one case of refracture were encountered. Eighty-one patients demonstrated SF-36 scores at or above the national average and an average DASH score of 8.9. External fixation of humeral shaft fractures is considered a valid treatment method as it provides good results in terms of stability of reduction, tolerability, healing times, and functional recovery.

Talk to us

Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have

Schedule a call

Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.