Results of Surgical treatment of Nonunion of Humeral Shaft Fracture with Dynamic Compression Plate and Cancellous Bone Grafting

ABSTRACT

Introduction: Nonunion of humeral fractures afterconservative or surgical treatment represents a disablingcondition for the patient and a challenge for the surgeon. Studyaimed to evaluate the outcome of treatment of humeral shaftnonunions with dynamic compression plate and cancellousbone graft.Material and Methods: This study was conducted atDepartment of Orthopaedics, GMC Srinagar from June 2016to December 2019. Twenty patients were operated over thisperiod. Trauma was the cause of injury in majority of thepatients. Nonunion was atrophic in 80% and hypertrophic in20% of the individuals. All the patients had closed fractureat presentation, and 70% had received previous treatmentfrom traditional bone setters and 30% had failure of theconservative cast management.Results: The average time to union was 18 weeks. Treatmentpreviously from traditional bone setters significantly affectedthe time to fracture union (p<0.05). All fractures unitedsuccessfully.Conclusion: we concluded that treatment with dynamiccompression plating and cancellous bone grafting remains aneffective treatment option for nonunion of humeral shaft.