Open humerus fractures: case series between 1998 and 2007

Authors

  • Rubén Hernández Orthopedist and Traumatologist. Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology, Hospital Universitario del Valle, Universidad del Valle, Cali, Colombia.
  • Federico Persico Fourth year resident of Orthopedics and Traumatology, Hospital Universitario del Valle, Universidad del Valle, Cali, Colombia.
  • Ana Monsalve Medical Intern, Universidad del Valle, Cali, Colombia.
  • Diego Davalos Medical Intern, Universidad Libre de Cali, Cali, Colombia

Keywords:

Humeral Fractures Surgery, Radial Neuropathy, Fracture Fixation, External Fixators

Abstract

Introduction: Traditionally, humeral diaphyseal fractures were managed with a conservative orthopedic treatment; however, open humeral fractures always required surgical stabilization. Humeral diaphysis open fractures are almost always in association with vascular or nerve injuries that may compromise limb viability. The aim of this study is to determine the exact injuries, choice of treatment, complications and functional results of the patients who suffer open humeral fractures in the series.

Methods: To determine the exact injuries, choice of treatment, complications and functional results of the patients who suffer open humeral fractures received at the orthopedic department of Hospital Universitario del Valle, Cali, from 1998 through 2007, we performed a retrospective descriptive case series study using Gustilo–Anderson classification to correlate the injury with the treatment and the functional result.

Results: We evaluated 159 open humeral fractures through 10 years. We found out that most of them were also treated in a conservative orthopedic manner. Only IIIB, IIIC graded open fractures were treated by external fixation. Most of the patients did not assisted in regular way to the established post-op controls. Therefore, there is a lack of information due to inconsistent follow up after treatment.

Discussion: Grade III fractures were treated initially by external fixation in order to perform an adequate damage control. Most of them resulted in acceptable functional results. In order to improve functional results, a unified treatment protocol should have to be instituted, as well as a prospective cohort.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

1. Houwelingen AV, McKee MD. Management and complications of humeral shaft fractures. University of Toronto Med J 2004; 81: 96-102.

2. Igbigbi PS, Manda K. Epidemiology of humeral fractures in Malawi. Int Orthop 2004; 28: 338-41.

3. Scheerlinck T, Handelberg F. Functional outcome after intramedullary nailing of humeral shaft fractures: comparison between retrograde Marchetti-Vicenzi and unreamed AO antegrade nailing. J Trauma 2002; 52: 60-71.

4. Tytherleigh-Strong G, Walls N, McQueen MM. The epidemiology of humeral shaft fractures. J Bone Joint Surg Br 1998; 80: 249-53.

5. Ruedi T, Murphy WM. AO principles of fracture management. Vol. 1. Stuttgart-New York: Thieme; 2000.

6. Wenzl ME, Porte T, Fuchs S, Faschingbauer M, Jürgens C. Delayed and non-union of the humeral diaphysis. Compression plate or internal plate fixator? Injury 2004; 35: 55-60.

7. Chiu FY, Chen CM, Lin CF, Lo WH, Huang YL, Chen TH. Closed humeral shaft fractures: a prospective evaluation of surgical treatment. J Trauma 1997; 43: 947-51.

8. Gustilo RB, Anderson JT. Prevention of infection in the treatment of one thousand and twenty-five open fractures of long bones: retrospective and prospective analyses. J Bone Joint Surg Am 1976; 58A: 453-8.

9. Gustilo RB, Simpson L, Nixon R, Ruiz A, Indeck W. Analysis of 511 open fractures. Clin Orthop l969; 66: 148-54.

10. Zalavras CG, Marcus RE, Levin LS, Patzakis MJ. Management of open fractures and subsequent complications. J Bone Joint Surg Am 2007; 89A: 884-95.

11. Ward EF, Savoie FH, Hughes JL. Fractures of the diaphyseal humerus. En: Browner BD, Jupiter JB, Levine AM, Trafton PG, editores. Skeletal trauma. Vol. 2. Philadelphia: WB Saunders; 1992. p. 1177-200.

12. Ekholm R, Adami J, Tidermark J, Hansson K, Törnkvist H, Ponzer S. Fractures of the shaft of the humerus. An epidemiological study of 401 fractures. J Bone Joint Surg Br 2006; 88(11): 1469-73.

13. Weil Y, Petrov K, Liebergall M, Mintz Y, Mosheiff R. Long bone fractures caused by penetrating injuries in terrorists attacks. J Trauma 2007; 62: 909-12.

14. Camden P, Nade S. Fracture bracing the humerus. Injury 1992; 23: 245-8.

15. Sharma V, Jain A, Gupta R, Tyagi A, Sethi P. Non-operative treatment of fractures of the humeral shaft: a comparative study. J Indian Med Assoc 1991; 89: 157-60.

16. Wallny T, Sagebiel C, Westerman K, Wagner UA, Reimer M. Comparative results of bracing and interlocking nailing in the treatment of humeral shaft fractures. Int Orthop 1997; 21: 374-9.

17. Jawa A, McCarty P, Doornberg J, Harris M, Ring D. Extra-articular distal-third diaphyseal fractures of the humerus. A comparison of functional bracing and plate fixation. J Bone Joint Surg Am 2006; 88: 2343-7.

18. Changulani M, Jain UK, Keswani T. Comparison of the use of the humerus intramedullary nail and dynamic compression plate for the management of diaphyseal fractures of the humerus. A randomized controlled study. Int Orthop 2007; 31(3): 391-5.

19. McCormack RG, Brien D, Buckley RE, McKee MD, Powell J, Schemitsch EH. Fixation of fractures of the shaft of the humerus by dynamic compression plate or intramedullary nail. A prospective, randomised trial. J Bone Joint Surg Br 2000; 82: 336-9.

20. Chapman JR, Henley MB, Agel J, Benca PJ. Randomized prospective study of humeral shaft fracture fixation: intramedullary nails versus plates. J Orthop Trauma 2000; 14: 162-6.

21. Blum J, Janzing H, Gahr R, Langendorff HS, Rommens PM. Clinical performance of a new medullary humeral nail: antegrade versus retrograde insertion. J Orthop Trauma 2001; 15: 342-9.

22. Chao TC, Chou WY, Chung JC, Hsu CJ. Humeral shaft fractures treated by dynamic compression plates, ender nails and interlocking nails. Int Orthop 2005; 29: 88-91.

23. Castellá FB, Garcia FB, Berry EM, Perelló EB, Sánchez-Alepuz E, Gabarda R. Nonunion of the humeral shaft: long lateral butterfly fracture. A nonunion predictive pattern? Clin Orthop Relat Res 2004; 424: 227-30.

24. Foulk Foulk D, Szabo R. Diaphyseal humerus fractures: natural history and occurrence of nonunion. Orthopedics 1995; 18: 333-5.

25. Koch P, Gross D, Gerber C. The results of functional (Sarmiento) bracing of humeral shaft fractures. J Shoulder Elbow Surg 2002; 11: 143-50.

26. Loomer R, Kokan P. Non-union in fractures of the humeral shaft. Injury 1976; 7: 274-8

Downloads

Published

2012-06-01

How to Cite

1.
Hernández R, Persico F, Monsalve A, Davalos D. Open humerus fractures: case series between 1998 and 2007. Rev. Colomb. Ortop. Traumatol. [Internet]. 2012 Jun. 1 [cited 2026 Mar. 15];26(2):113-9. Available from: https://revistasccotorg.biteca.online/index.php/rccot/article/view/626

Issue

Vol. 26 No. 2 (2012)

Section

Original research

License

Copyright (c) 2025 Sociedad Colombiana de Cirugía Ortopédica y Traumatología.

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Article metrics
Abstract views
Galley vies
PDF Views
HTML views
Other views
Escanea para compartir
QR Code