2. “It is perhaps the easiest of the
major long bones to treat by
conservative methods.”
Sir John Charnley
(1911 – 1982)
3. Humeral diaphysis frx
1-3% of adult fractures
20% of humeral fractures
15-30/100 000 frequency (elderly 100/100000)
Simple falls, road traffic accidents and sports
injuries
7. Mechanism of injury
Proximal shaft
Distal fragment is displaced
laterally by the deltoid muscle, and
the proximal fragment is displaced
medially by the pull of the
pectoralis major, latissimus dorsi,
and teres major muscles
Mid shaft
The proximal fragment is
abducted by the deltoid, and
the distal fragment is proximally
displaced by brachialis m.
8. Mechanism of injury
Fracture at the deltoid insertion
with adduction of the proximal
fragment due to pectoralis
muscle forces
Fracture distal to the deltoid insertion
with abduction (arrow) of the proximal
fragment by the deltoid muscle and
proximal displacement of the distal
fragment (arrow) due to brachialis
muscle forces.
9. Radial nerve palsy
Loss of wrist extension, digit extension
20% of humerus frx (mid-, distal shaft especially
Holstein-Lewis fr)
Running in the spiral groove between the lateral
and medial heads of the triceps muscle.
Damage to the brachial artery, median and ulnar
nerves are much less common.
10. Radial nerve palsy
A. Neuropraxia (nerve minor compression/contusion) – closed fr
B. Neurotmesis – open fr. (exploration usually needed)
90% injuries usually recover in 3-4 months
Secondary palsy – due to reduction for bracing or iatrogenic
ORIF
Radial nerve palsy is not a contraindication to functional
bracing!
11. Background
Sarmiento et al. reported a union rate of 97% in
their case series of 922 patients, but they were able
to follow only 67% of the patients until healing.
Zagorski et al. reported a 98% union rate and 95%
excellent functional results in a case series of 233
patients from the same clinic as Sarmiento et al,
but 27% of the patients were lost to follow-up.
13. Conservative treatment
Orthosis/ bracing union 77-98%, complications ⇓
Union in 11 weeks (5-22 weeks)
Non union risk in transverse and proximal shaft frx
ad 38% (m.deltoideus & m.pectoralis major traction
& muscle interposition)
14. Conservative treatment
Problems with elbow and shoulder functions:
Can lead to loss of extra-rotation, flexion and abduction
of the shoulder in 10% to 30% of cases.
In about 10% of the patients, there may be a loss of
flexion and extension of the elbow
Obese pt: varus & internal rotation union
15. 93 pt (16-90 years) treated with functional brace
Union 77%
i. Proximal 1/3 consolidated only 46%
ii.Middle shaft 81% consolidation
iii.Distal third 86%
16. Acceptable alignment? Operative Treatment?
Fracture Indications
Failure to obtain and maintain adequate
closed reduction
Shortening >3 cm
Rotation 30 degrees
Angulation >20 degrees
Segmental fracture
Pathological fracture
Perfect alignment of the humerus is not important
for an acceptable functional result !
Associated Injuries
oOpen wound
oVascular injury
oBrachial plexus injury
oIpsilateral forearm fracture
oIpsilateral shoulder or elbow fracture
oBilateral humeral fractures
oLower extremity fracture requiring upper extremity weight
bearing
oBurns
oHigh-velocity gunshot injury
oChronic associated joint stiffness of elbow or shoulder
Patient Indications
oMultiple injuries, polytrauma
oHead injury (Glasgow Coma Scale score = 8)
oChest trauma
oPoor patient tolerance, compliance
oUnfavorable body habitus
oMorbid obesity
From McKee MD: Fractures of the shaft of the humerus. In Bucholz RW, Heckman JD,
Court-Brown CM, eds: Rockwood and Green’s fractures in adults, 6th ed, Philadelphia,
2006, Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
17. Nonunion: Predisposing Factors
Transfer fracture pattern
Older age
Poor nutritional status
Osteoporosis
Use of steroids
Endocrine abnormality affecting calcium balance
18. Osteosynthesis
LCP , DCP. IMN, external fixation (EF)
There is no specific algorithm for deciding since it
is necessary to take into account many factors
before reaching a final decision as to which
treatment to implement.
19. ORIF plating
Goals: exact reduction & early mobilisation
No violation of the rotator cuff
Anterolateral & poster. approaches are common
Visualization of radial nerve
Best functional results
21. Nailing
Antegrade: through rotator cuff insertion
Retrograde: posterior, through m.triceps insertion
Iatrogenic fracture 4-5%
Impingement, pain (16-37%), nail amotion, ROM restriction
In Finland:
Pathological fracture
Polytrauma pt
22. Published 9/2016
16 RCT included with 832 pt:
A. ORPF (open reduction & plate fixation)
B. MIPO
C. IMN
No significant differences in nonunion, delayed union, and infection
Iatrogenic radial nerve injury more commonly in the ORPF group than
in the MIPO group. Shoulder impengement in IMN group
MIPO is preferrable tratment method
23. The objectives of this trial are to compare the
effectiveness and cost-effectiveness between surgical
treatment with plate osteosynthesis and conservative
treatment with functional bracing for humeral shaft
fractures.
The recruitment began at the end of 2012. At the
current recruiting pace, the recruiting will end in
2018.
24. Summary
Functional bracing have good functional results
Surgery: comminuted fractures, floating shoulder, multiple trauma,
neurovascular compromise, nonunion, open fractures, pathological fractures,
and the failure of conservative treatment
ORIF plating is preferrable over IMN
IMN is the preferred mode of treatment for fractures with associated soft
tissue injury, pathologic fracture, diaphyseal segmental fractures, and
osteopenic bone.
Radial nerve careful documentation, most injuries recover spontaneously
26. References
1. Shao YC, Harwood P, Grotz MR et-al. Radial nerve palsy associated with fractures of the shaft of the humerus: a systematic
review. J Bone Joint Surg Br. 2005;87 (12): 1647-52. doi:10.1302/0301-620X.87B12.16132 - Pubmed citation
2. Surgical interventions to treat humerus shaft fractures: A network meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials Jia-Guo
Zhao1,2*, Jia Wang2 , Xiao-Hui Meng3 , Xian-Tie Zeng2 , Shi-Lian Kan2 *
3. https://radiopaedia.org/articles/humeral-shaft-fracture-1
4. Radial nerve palsy associated with fractures of the shaft of the humerus A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW. Y. C. Shao, P. Harwood, M. R.
W. Grotz, D. Limb, P. V. Giannoudis
5. Functional treatment of closed humeral shaft fractures. 2014. Toivanen. TAYS
6. Outcome of humeral shaft fractures treated by functional cast braceJitendra Nath Pal1
, Prahas Biswas1
, Avik Roy2
,
Sunit Hazra2
, Somnath Mahato3. 2015
7. Surgical interventions to treat humerus shaft fractures: A network meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials Jia-Guo
Zhao1,2*, Jia Wang2, Xiao-Hui Meng3, Xian-Tie Zeng2, Shi-Lian Kan2*. 2016
8. Olkaluun diafyysimurtumien hoito: konservatiivinen hoito vai osteosynteesi? Vesa Lepola TAYS, Tuki- ja liikuntaelinkirurgia.
2016
9. The epidemiology of traumatic humeral shaft fractures in TaiwanChun-Hao Tsai, Yi-Chin Fong, Ying-Hao Chen, Chin-
Jung Hsu, Chia-Hao Chang, and Horng-Chaung Hsu.
10. Cambell Orthopaedics, ed. 12
11. www.orthobullets.com
12. Kurup H, Hossain M, Andrew JG. Dynamic compression plating versus locked intramedullary nailing for humeral shaft fractures
in adults. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2011 Jun
13. Sarmiento A, Horowitch A, Aboulafia A, Vangsness CT Jr. Functional bracing for comminuted extra-articular fractures of the
distal third of the humerus. J Bone Joint Surg Br 1990;72: 283-7. Erratum in: J Bone Joint Surg Br. 1990;72:752