Bridge combined internal fixation system and locking plate system in treatment of closed humeral shaft fracture / 中华骨科杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective:To compare the clinical effects of bridge combined internal fixation system and locking plate system in treating closed humeral shaft fracture.Methods:From August 2017 to August 2020, there were 45 patients with closed humeral shaft fracture treated with surgery. Bridge combined internal fixation system were performed in 19 patients (bridge combined group, aged 38.3±11.9, range 21-72 years), including 13 males and 6 females. Further, there were 26 patients underwent locking plate system (locking plate group, aged 41.2±14.7, range 20-79 years), including 20 males and 6 females. The operation was performed by minimal invasive percutaneous osteosynthesis with fixators. The patients were followed up every 4 weeks. The fracture healing condition was recorded. Shoulder function was assessed according to University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) shoulder rating scale and elbow function was assessed according to Mayo elbow performance score (MEPS).Results:The follow-up duration of all patients were 14.2±4.7 (range 10-32) months. All wound were healed completely. The operation duration in bridge combined group (68.1±12.5 min) was longer than that in locking plate group (56.3±11.6 min) ( t=3.32, P=0.002). The blood loss of bridge combined group and locking plate group were 112.6±20.2 ml and 104.2±14.1 ml, respectively ( t=1.65, P=0.107). The volume of drainage of bridge combined group was 68.4±16.2 ml and that of locking plate group was 73.1±14.9 ml ( t=1.00, P=0.323). The hospitalization time of bridge combined group was 9.7±2.3 d and the locking plate group was 9.4±1.9 d ( t=0.57, P=0.573). All above parameters had no statistical significance between the two groups. Fracture nonunion occurred in 1 of 19 patients in bridge combined group. The fracture healing time was 15.3±4.3 weeks in another 18 cases, while that of locking plate group was 15.9±3.9 weeks ( t=0.47, P=0.638). At 4-weeks postoperative follow-up, the UCLA shoulder score (18.1±3.9) and the MEPS (55.4±6.8) of bridge combined group were lower than those of locking plate group ( P<0.05). At 8-weeks postoperative follow-up, the shoulder score (26.2±4.3) and the MEPS (70.9±6.5) of bridge combined group were lower than those of locking plate group ( P<0.05). At 12-weeks postoperative follow-up, the UCLA shoulder score (33.6±1.0) and the MEPS (91.0±3.7) of bridge combined group had no statistical difference with those of locking plate group ( P>0.05). Conclusion:The bridge combined internal fixation system could provide personalized and multidimensional fixation according to the fracture type. The clinical effects of bridge combined internal fixation system on humeral shaft fracture are similar to the locking plate system at 12 weeks postoperatively. However, the operation duration of bridge combined system is longer and with increased the risk of nonunion.