title: New trends in fixation of proximal humeral fractures: a review.
abstract: Surgical treatment of proximal humeral fractures continues to be a challenge especially in osteoporotic patients. Locking plates and intramedullary nails have been used with satisfactory results but the previous reported complications have not been substantially reduced. Most of the existing studies involve a small number of patients followed up for a rather short period of time. Since proximal humeral fractures constitute a heterogenous group of complex fractures in an even more heterogenous population, no single fixation method is a panacea. Choice of implant and method of fixation should be selected according to individual patient and fracture pattern characteristics based on clearly defined indications and contraindications. Based on the findings of the existing clinical studies the authors propose a treatment algorithm.
authors.affiliation: 1st Orthopaedic Department, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, G. Papanikolaou General Hospital, 57010 Exohi, Thessaloniki, Greece. dkarataglis@yahoo.gr
authors.forename: Dimitrios
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Karataglis
authors.forename: Stavros I
authors.initials: SI
authors.lastname: Stavridis
authors.forename: George
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Petsatodis
authors.forename: Pericles
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Papadopoulos
authors.forename: Anastasios
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Christodoulou
mesh_terms: D001860:Bone Plates; D005260:Female; D005592:Fracture Fixation / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods / Q000639:trends*; D005594:Fracture Fixation, Intramedullary / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods / Q000639:trends; D017102:Fracture Healing; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012784:Shoulder Fractures / Q000601:surgery*; D016896:Treatment Outcome