TY - JOUR ID - TI - Evaluation of Different Methods for Management of Humeral Diaphyseal Fracture AU - Ali Alias Ali PY - 2012 VL - 11 IS - 1 SP - 107 EP - 112 JO - Iraqi Postgraduate Medical Journal المجلة العراقية للاختصاصات الطبية SN - 83601608 98932708 AB - ABSTRACT:BACKGROUND:Fractures of the humeral shaft account 3% of all fractures.OBJECTIVE:purpose of the present study is to study in a consecutive series of humeral shaft fractures; union rate, timeof union, rate of nonunion, evidence of malunion, shoulder and elbow joints function and symptoms aftereach method, to confirm previously published results, and to study the effect of postoperative fracturedistraction in fracture union.METHODS:By using conservative and operative methods, we treated 54 patients who had a fracture of the humeralshaft. 48 patients were available for follow-up, which ranged from 5 to 40 weeks.RESULT:The average age of patients was 31.39 yrs (ranges from 5 to 65 Yrs), 26 males and 22 females. From thesepatients (42 were of close and 6 were of open fractures), the average time of union was 10.5 weeks forconservative method and 8.4 weeks for operative method.In non operative method approximately 41.66% of the patients (ten patients) had an excellent functionalresult and an essentially full range of motion of the shoulder and elbow. 33.33% (eight patients) had agood functional result but lacked 15 degrees of forward flexion of the shoulder, or less, or 5 to 15 degreesof extension of the elbow. 8.3% (two patients) had a fair functional result but lacked more than 20 degreesof motion in both shoulder and elbow joints (specially in elbow extension) with mild pain. 16.6% (fourpatients) had a poor initial resulted secondary to instability that was due to nonunion of the fracture.CONCLUSION:Because of the low morbidity and high rate of success in conservative method and because statisticallythere was no significant difference between the two methods (P value more than o.o5), we concluded thatthe treatment of choice for diaphyseal fractures of the humerus is better to be by non operative methodunless there’s a clear indication for surgery.

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