title: Treatment of humeral fractures by closed reduction and retrograde intramedullary Ender nails.
abstract: A retrospective review of 94 humeral shaft fractures stabilized with retrograde Ender nails was performed to determine the safety and efficacy of this technique. Follow-up averaged 71 weeks. Eighty-six (91.5%) healed with no additional intervention (average: 14 weeks). There were eight (8.5%) nonunions. The functional results were good in 74 (81%), fair in 12 (13%), and poor in 5 (6%). There was one radial nerve palsy secondary to the operative procedure. The reoperation rate, including the repair of nonunions, was 19%. We conclude that intramedullary Ender nail fixation is a relatively simple and quick procedure, especially for the multiply injured patient, that adequately stabilizes most humeral fractures, yielding overall good results.
authors.affiliation: Section of Orthopedics, R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center, University of Maryland Medical System, Baltimore 21201-1595, USA.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Shazar
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Brumback
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Vanco
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001858:Bone Nails; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005594:Fracture Fixation, Intramedullary / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D017102:Fracture Healing; D006801:Humans; D006810:Humeral Fractures / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D011859:Radiography; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular; D012189:Retrospective Studies