Treatment of non-union of fractures of shaft of humerus by posterior plate fixation and cancellous bone grafting

ABSTRACT

A series of twenty-seven ununited fractures of shaft of humerus were treated over ten-years [1972 to 1981]. More than half of these injuries were complicated by severe soft tissue damage, segmental bone loss, infection or multiple previous operative attempts to obtain union. Cancellous iliac bone grafting and internal fixation using plate and screws through a posterior approach was used. Union was achieved in all cases after an average of 3 months. There were few post-operative complications, viz radial nerve palsy in one case and discharging sinus that cleared off without residual osteomyelitis after removal of plate and screws in another two cases