Efficacy comparison of intramedullary nails, locking plates and conservative treatment for displaced proximal humeral fractures in the elderly

Wei Ge,* Qi Sun,* Gen Li, Guanghua Lu, Ming Cai, ShaoHua Li Department of Orthopedics, Shanghai Tenth People’s Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China *These authors contributed equally to this work Purpose: The incidence of proxima...

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Autores principales: Ge W, Sun Q, Li G, Lu G, Cai M, Li S
Formato: article
Lenguaje:EN
Publicado: Dove Medical Press 2017
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Acceso en línea:https://doaj.org/article/af37030ba3474120a60e7439d2416b8e
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Sumario:Wei Ge,* Qi Sun,* Gen Li, Guanghua Lu, Ming Cai, ShaoHua Li Department of Orthopedics, Shanghai Tenth People’s Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China *These authors contributed equally to this work Purpose: The incidence of proximal humeral fractures is high in the elderly, and the superior management of these fractures remains a controversy. The study aims to compare clinical outcomes of intramedullary nails, locking plates and conservative treatment for the management of displaced proximal humeral fractures in the elderly. Patients and methods: In this prospective study, a total of 198 patients with 2- or 3-part proximal humeral fractures who received fixation of locking plates or intramedullary nails or conservative treatment were included. The primary outcome was the 24-month Constant–Murley score. The secondary outcomes included the American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES) scores, the visual analog scale (VAS) pain scores, shoulder range of motion and complication rate. Results: There were no statistically significant differences in the Constant–Murley scores and ASES scores among the plate group, the nail group and the conservative group for 2-part fractures. For 3-part fractures, Constant–Murley scores and ASES scores were lower in the conservative group compared with those in the plate group and the nail group. Besides, the conservative group showed a significantly lower external rotation during follow-ups. The complication rate was comparable among the plate group, the nail group and the conservative group for both 2-part and 3-part fractures. Conclusion: Similar satisfactory functional outcomes can be achieved with the locking plates, intramedullary nails or conservative treatment for 2-part proximal humeral fractures in the elderly. The advantages in functional outcomes favor locking plates and intramedullary nails in the management of 3-part proximal humeral fractures. Keywords: proximal humeral fractures, intramedullary nails, locking plates, conservative treatment, the elderly