Plating, nailing, external fixation, and fibular strut grafting for non-union of humeral shaft fractures.

PURPOSE: To compare various treatment modalities (plating, Ilizarov external fixation, and non-vascular fibular cortical strut grafting) for non-union of humeral shaft fractures. METHODS: Records of 9 women and 26 men aged 24 to 71 (mean, 42) years who presented with non-union of humeral shaft fractures were reviewed. The humeral shaft fractures were secondary to low-energy trauma (n=22) or vehicular accidents (n=13) and involved the proximal (n=9), middle (n=15), and distal (n=11) regions. 13 of the fractures were open. Infection was evident in 8 of the non-unions. For non-unions with infection (n=8), a 2-stage procedure entailing temporary Ilizarov fixation followed by plating was used. For non-unions without infection (n=23), one-stage plating and cancellous bone grafting was used. For non-unions of osteoporotic bone (n=4), one-stage non-vascularised fibular strut grafting was used. Outcome was measured using the Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (DASH) scoring system. RESULTS: The 35 patients were followed up for a mean of 16 (range, 6-60) months. All achieved bone union except for one (who had persistent infection). Respectively for non-unions with infection, nonunions without infection, and non-unions of osteoporotic bone, the mean times to bone union were 6.5 (range, 4-10), 5 (range, 4-8), and 10 (range, 6-14) months, the mean improvement in DASH score was 30, 43, and 18, and malalignment was noted in 5, 2, and one patient. Three patients had a preoperative radial nerve palsy for which standard tendon transfer was performed 6 weeks after treatment for non-union. CONCLUSION: Compression plating achieved the best results. An external fixator may be used temporarily for infected non-unions. Fibular strut grafting may be used when non-unions warrant additional stability.

Antegrade interlocking nailing versus dynamic compression plating for humeral shaft fractures.

PURPOSE: To compare antegrade interlocking nailing with dynamic compression plating for humeral shaft fractures in terms of functional outcomes, union and complication rates. METHODS: 34 men and 22 women aged >18 years with fresh humeral shaft fractures (up to grade IIIa) with or without neurological deficits underwent either antegrade interlocking nailing (n=31) or dynamic compression plating (n=25). Functional outcome of the upper limbs (according to the American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons [ASES] score), pain, rates of union, and complications in the 2 groups were compared. RESULTS: Respectively in the nailing and plating groups, mean operating times were 65 and 112 minutes (p<0.001), mean blood loss volumes were 20 and 232 ml (p<0.001), mean ASES scores were 31.4 and 29.0 (p=0.448), complication rates were 20% (6/31) and 24% (6/25) [p=0.900], non-union rates were 13% (4/31) and 8% (2/25) [p=0.625], and delayed union rates were 7% (2/31) and 4% (1/25) [p=0.787]. CONCLUSION: Both techniques were appropriate for treating humeral shaft fractures.

Intramedullary nailing supplemented with Poller screws for proximal tibial fractures.

PURPOSE: To evaluate outcome of intramedullary nailing supplemented with Poller screws for proximal tibial fractures using small diameter nails. METHODS: 50 men and 20 women (75 fractures) aged 18 to 65 (mean, 33) years underwent intramedullary nailing supplemented with Poller screws for acutely displaced fractures (n=60) or for delayed union (n=10) or mal-union (n=5) of the proximal metadiaphyseal tibia. 88% of the fractures were caused by road traffic accidents. 54 cases had closed fractures and 21 had grade I or II compound fractures. Clinical and radiological outcome was evaluated. RESULTS: In 69 cases, healing occurred after a mean of 4.2 (range, 3-9) months. In 5 cases, there was non-union, which was resolved by bone grafting. One case was mal-united. 63 patients recovered a full range of knee motion (0º-130º), and the remaining 7 attained flexion of 0º to 90º. According to the knee rating scale of the Hospital for Special Surgery, outcome was excellent in 50 patients, good in 14, poor in 3, and failed in 3 at month 12, and remained so after a mean follow-up of 30.8 months. Postoperatively, 74 cases had <5º of varus or valgus malalignment, and only one developed varus of +7º. 65 cases exhibited no deformity, 7 had a deformity of <3º, and 3 had a deformity of 4º to 9º. CONCLUSION: Poller screws help maintain fixation of intramedullary nailing and alignment of fractures.