Efficacy of locking plate internal fixation combined with iliac bone grafting in the treatment of comminuted proximal humeral fracture in the elderly / 中华创伤杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective:To compare the efficacy between locking plate internal fixation combined with iliac bone graft and separate locking plate internal fixation in the treatment of comminuted proximal humeral fracture in the elderly.Methods:A retrospective cohort study was conducted to analyze the clinical data of 42 elderly patients with comminuted proximal humeral fracture admitted to Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University from January 2018 to January 2020. There were 20 males and 22 females, aged 65-75 years [(69.5±8.5)years]. According to Neer classification, there were 26 patients with three-part fracture and 16 with four-part fracture. Eighteen patients were treated by locking plate internal fixation combined with autologous iliac bone grafting (bone grafting group), and 24 patients were treated by locking plate internal fixation alone (non-bone grafting group). The operation time, intraoperative blood loss, postoperative drainage volume, hospitalization time, and fracture healing time were documented. Shoulder joint range of motion (forward flexion, extension, internal rotation and external rotation) and degree of humeral head height loss were measured at 1, 6, 12 months after operation and at the last follow-up. The Neer score and visual analogue score (VAS) of shoulder joint were evaluated at 12 months after operation and at the last follow-up. The complications were observed.Results:All patients were followed up for 12-24 months [(18.5±3.8)months]. There were no significant differences in operation time, intraoperative blood loss, postoperative drainage volume and hospitalization time between the two groups (all P>0.05). The fracture healing time in bone grafting group was (3.1±0.7)months, shorter than (4.2±0.9)months in non-bone grafting group ( P<0.05). In the two groups, the postoperative shoulder joint range of motion and degree of humeral head height loss increased significantly over time (all P<0.05). At 1, 6, 12 months after operation and at the last follow-up, the shoulder forward flexion range of motion in bone grafting group was (136.2±7.4)°, (139.3±6.9)°, (146.6±6.1)° and (148.4±4.7)°, higher than that in non-bone grafting group [(134.5±6.7)°, (136.5±7.0)°, (137.9±9.2)° and (138.3±7.9)°]; the shoulder extension range of motion in bone grafting group was (37.1±6.3)°, (40.5±4.4)°, (43.1±3.1) ° and (46.6±4.2)°, higher than that in non-bone grafting group [(35.5±4.6)°, (37.9±5.1)°, (41.3±2.5)° and (43.9±3.1)°]; the shoulder internal rotation range of motion in bone grafting group was (50.5±3.2)°, (54.1±5.6)°, (56.6±4.2)° and (58.9±3.6)°, higher than that in non-bone grafting group [(46.9±5.1)°, (50.3±4.2)°, (53.5±2.7)° and (55.4±5.1)°]; the shoulder external rotation range of motion in bone grafting group was (52.2±3.6)°, (55.6±4.3)°, (58.7±4.4)° and (60.2±5.6)°, higher than that in non-bone grafting group [(50.1±4.7)°, (52.6±5.7)°, (55.3±3.2)° and (57.3±4.1)°] ( P<0.05 or 0.01). At 1, 6, 12 months after operation and at the last follow-up, the degree of humeral head height loss in bone grafting group was (0.8±0.1)mm, (1.1±0.2)mm, (1.4±0.3)mm and (1.6±0.3)mm, smaller than that in non-bone grafting group [(1.1±0.2)mm, (1.4±0.3)mm, (1.7±0.6)mm and (2.0±0.5)mm] ( P<0.05 or 0.01). In the two groups, the postoperative shoulder joint range of motion and degree of humeral head height loss increased significantly over time (all P<0.05). There was no significant difference in Neer score of shoulder joint between the two groups before operation ( P<0.05). At 1, 6, 12 months after operation and at the last follow-up, the Neer score of shoulder joint in bone grafting group was (80.2±5.4)points, (82.1±5.0)points, (85.4±5.8) points and (90.3±4.6)points, higher than that in non-bone grafting group [(75.6±5.1)points, (80.4±5.5)points, (83.5±2.2)points and (87.4±4.8)points] ( P<0.05 or 0.01). There was no significant difference in VAS between the two groups before operation, at 1, 6, 12 months after operation or at the last follow-up (all P>0.05). The complication rate was 11.1% (2/18) in bone grafting group and was 20.8% (5/24) in non-bone grafting group ( P<0.05). Conclusions:For comminuted proximal humeral fractures in the elderly, locking plate internal fixation combined with autogenous iliac bone grafting can accelerate fracture healing, improve shoulder joint range of motion, promote functional recovery, and reduce complications in comparison with locking plate internal fixation alone.