The bicipital groove as a landmark for orientation of the humeral prosthesis in cases of fracture.
We studied 45 dry cadaveric humeri to determine whether the bicipital groove of the humerus can be used as a landmark for a proper, individualized orientation of a humeral prosthesis, especially in the case of a fracture. We performed 3 computed tomography sections (at a level just below the lower portion of the head, at the middle of the humeral head, and at a distance 5 cm below the first section), and we used special software for 3-dimensional image processing. To reproduce the individual posterior version of the head, when a humeral prosthesis is implanted for fracture, the lateral fin of the prosthesis should be a mean distance 5.2 +/- 2.6 mm (-1.5 to 10.7 mm) from the posterior edge of the bicipital groove. If the lateral fin of the humeral prosthesis seats just behind the posterior edge of the bicipital groove, a difference of -6.3 degrees to 41.7 degrees from the normal posterior version occurs. A new, simple methodology for an individualized posterior version of a humeral prosthesis in cases of fracture is proposed. We applied this in 6 consecutive patients with fracture of the humeral head that required hemiarthroplasty.
Kontakis
G M
GM
Department of Orthopaedics-Traumatology, University Hospital of Heraklion, Crete, Greece. kontak@her.forthnet.gr
Damilakis
J
J
Christoforakis
J
J
Papadakis
A
A
Katonis
P
P
Prassopoulos
P
P
D002102:Cadaver; D005596:Fractures, Closed / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D006811:Humerus / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000293:injuries* / Q000601:surgery; D019736:Prostheses and Implants; D019919:Prosthesis Implantation; D012016:Reference Values; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed