title: Treatment of fractures adjacent to humeral prostheses.
abstract: Fifteen patients with fractures adjacent to a humeral prosthesis were treated between 1986 and 2002. There were 10 females and 5 males. The average age was 58 years. The fractures were classified as to location relative to the prosthesis. Type I fractures (N = 3) occurred proximal to the tip of the prosthesis. Type II fractures (N = 7) occurred in which the fracture line extended from the proximal portion of the humeral shaft to beyond the distal tip of the prosthesis. Type III (N = 5) fractures occurred entirely distal to the tip of the prosthesis. Two type I and 3 type II fractures were managed with a fracture orthosis. The remainder of the fractures were treated surgically with a combination of cerclage wires and long stem prosthesis. All fractures progressed to union at an average of 11 weeks. Average forward elevation for the group was 124 degrees . No patient required a shoulder spica or bone grafting to obtain union. Treatment resulted in fracture union, prosthesis stability, and a paucity of complications.
authors: Blue Ridge Bone and Joint Clinic, Asheville, NC, USA.
authors: Gordon I
authors: GI
authors: Groh
authors: Michael M
authors: MM
authors: Heckman
authors: Michael A
authors: MA
authors: Wirth
authors: Ralph J
authors: RJ
authors: Curtis
authors: Charles A
authors: CA
authors: Rockwood
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D019643:Arthroplasty, Replacement / Q000009:adverse effects*; D001864:Bone Wires; D005260:Female; D005592:Fracture Fixation / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D006810:Humeral Fractures / Q000145:classification / Q000209:etiology*; D007431:Intraoperative Complications / Q000601:surgery; D007595:Joint Prosthesis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011475:Prosthesis Failure; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012785:Shoulder Joint