title: Intramedullary nailing for displaced proximal humeral fractures.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate outcomes of 28 patients who underwent intramedullary nailing for displaced proximal humeral fractures.
  
  
  METHODS
  24 women and 4 men aged 38 to 87 (mean, 65) years underwent intramedullary nailing for displaced proximal humeral fractures. 17 (61%) of them were aged >70 years. Fractures were classified into 2-part (n = 8), 3-part (n = 17), and 4-part (n = 3), and corresponded to AO 11 A3 (n = 8), B1 (n = 3), B2 (n = 9), and C2 (n = 8) types. The Constant and Oxford scores were assessed at the final follow-up.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All patients had bone union except for one who had tuberosity failure. 23 (82%) patients had satisfactory-to-excellent and 5 had poor Constant scores; outcomes were worse with more complex fractures. 20 (71%) patients had satisfactory Oxford scores. Seven (25%) patients had impingement of a nail tip. Other complications included avascular necrosis (n = 1), proximal locking screw back-out (n = 1), and screw penetration into the joint (n = 1).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Intramedullary nailing provides a stable fixation with minimal soft tissue dissection for displaced proximal humeral fractures. It enables early mobilisation and functional recovery.
authors.affiliation: Department of Trauma and Orthopaedic Surgery, Dewsbury and District Hospital, Dewsbury, West Yorkshire, United Kingdom. geo_bug@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Vinod
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Kumar
authors.forename: Sandeep
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Datir
authors.forename: Balachandran
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Venkateswaran
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D005594:Fracture Fixation, Intramedullary; D017102:Fracture Healing; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020127:Recovery of Function; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012783:Shoulder Dislocation / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D012784:Shoulder Fractures / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D016896:Treatment Outcome