The operative treatment of diaphyseal humeral shaft fractures.
Fractures of the humeral shaft comprise 1% to 3% of all fractures. Incidence rates reveal a bimodal distribution in which there is one small peak during adolescence, followed by a larger spike during the fifth and sixth decades of life. Most humeral diaphysis fractures are simple patterns of the mid-diaphysis. This article emphasizes surgical approaches to humeral fractures, providing a review of the surgical spectrum of treatment inclusive of intramedullary nailing and plating, but also includes a brief discussion of the conservative approach.
Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Minnesota, Regions Hospital, Saint Paul, MN 55101, USA. peter.a.cole@healthpartners.com
Peter A
PA
Cole
Coen A
CA
Wijdicks
D018483:Diaphyses / Q000293:injuries* / Q000601:surgery*; D016267:External Fixators; D005593:Fracture Fixation, Internal / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D006810:Humeral Fractures / Q000601:surgery*