Limited internal fixation combined with external fixation for comminuted humerus shaft fractures / 中华创伤杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To evaluate the clinical outcome in the treatment of humerus shaft comminuted fractures using limited open reduction and internal fixation combined with an external fixator.Methods Data of 80 patients with comminuted humerus shaft fractures treated from January 2005 to January 2013 were analysed retrospectively.All the patients underwent limited open reduction and internal fixation combined with an external fixator (treatment group) and open reduction and plate fixation (control group) according to the random number table.In the treatment group,there were 40 patients (28 males,12 females),at mean age of 33.5 years (range,21-54 years),with causes of injury including traffic accidents in five patients,falls in nine,crashes in seven and others in six.There were seven patients with open fractures and 33 with closed fractures.In the control group,there were 40 patients (25 males,15 females),at mean age of 32.9 years (range,19-55 years),with causes of injury including traffic accidents in 16 patients,tumbling in seven,crush in seven and others in ten.There were eight patients with open fractures and 32 with closed fractures.The operation time,intraoperative blood loss,bone union time and complications in both groups were recorded.Clinical efficacy was evaluated using the Stewart and Hundley standard.Results Mean follow-up was 19 months (range,15-24 months).Treatment and control groups showed significant differences in operation time [(55.5 ± 10.3) minutes vs.(120.5 ± 15.3) minutes],intraoperative blood loss [(120.4 ± 20.7) ml vs.(245.4 ± 26.7) ml] and bone union time [(11.6 ± 1.3) weeks vs.(14.9 ± 2.3) weeks] (P ＜ 0.05).Rate of incision infection was 8％ (3/40) in treatment group and 10％ (4/40) in control group (P ＞ 0.05).In treatment group the results were excellent in 31 patients and good in nine.In control group the results were excellent in 27 patients,good in nine,fair in one and poor in three.One patient with radial nerve injury after a second surgery for implant removal and two patients with osteomyelitis or bone nonunion were noted in control group.Conclusion Limited open reduction and internal fixation in combination with an external fixator is associated with small trauma,easy operation,short operation time,few bleeding,rigid fixation,early functional exercises and reduced bone nonunion for treatment of comminuted humerus shaft fractures,which exhibits great clinical value.