Efficacy comparison of interlocking intramedullary nail and locking plate in the treatment of varus proximal humeral fractures in the elderly / 中华创伤杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective:To compare the effect of interlocking intramedullary nail and locking plate in the treatment of varus proximal humeral fractures in the elderly.Method:A retrospective case-control study was conducted to analyze the clinical data of 46 elderly patients with varus proximal humeral fractures treated in Central Theater General Hospital of PLA from June 2016 to January 2019, including 27 males and 19 females, at age of 60-84 years［（71.9±5.7）years］. All fractures were fresh. Overall 25 patients were treated with interlocking intramedullary nail（intramedullary nail group）, and 21 patients were treated with locking plate（bone plate group）. The incision length, operation time, intraoperative bleeding and fracture healing time were compared between the two groups. Visual analogue scale（VAS）was used to evaluate the degree of pain relief at 1 week and 1 month after operation, and Constant-Murley score was used to evaluate the recovery of shoulder function at 1 month, 3 months and 1 year after operation. The cervical trunk angle was recorded at 2 days and 1 year after operation to judge whether there was a loss of cervical trunk angle. Postoperative complications were observed.Results:All patients were followed up for 12-32 months［（19.7±6.6）months］. The incision length［（7.1±0.6）cm］, operation time［（60.8±5.2）minutes］, intraoperative bleeding［（64.4±8.4）ml］and fracture healing time［（10.0±1.0）weeks］in intramedullary nail group were significantly less than those in bone plate group［（13.6±0.9）cm,（80.2±8.1）minutes,（151.0±15.2）ml,（11.0±1.5）weeks］（ P<0.05）. In both groups, the VAS decreased significantly over time, and markedly increased Constant-Murley score was detected as well（ P<0.05）. The VAS in intramedullary nail group［（2.8±0.2）points,（1.1±0.2）points］was significantly lower than that in bone plate group［（4.0±0.2）points,（1.5±0.1）points］at 1 week and 1 month after operation（ P<0.05）. The Constant-Murley score in intramedullary nail group［（59.9±6.9）points,（79.1±6.8）points］was higher than that in bone plate group［（50.1±8.5）points,（73.6±8.4）points］at 1 month and 3 months after operation（ P<0.05）, but the score showed no significant difference between intramedullary nail group［（89.1±5.3）points］and bone plate group［（86.4±6.4）points］at 1 year after operation（ P>0.05）. According to Constant-Murley score, 10 patients were evaluated as excellent and 15 patients as good in intramedullary nail group at 1 year after operation, with the excellent and good rate of 100%, while 8 patients were evaluated as excellent, 11 patients as good and 2 patients as fair in bone plate group at 1 year after operation, with the excellent and good rate of 91%（ P>0.05）. The cervical trunk angle in intramedullary nail group［（140.2±2.9）°,（139.6±2.3）°］had significant difference from that in bone plate group［（139.6±3.2）°,（138.8±3.3）°］at 2 days and 1 year after operation（ P<0.05）. In both groups, the cervical trunk angle had slight lost at 1 year after operation compared with that at 2 days after operation, but the difference was not statistically significant（ P>0.05）. In intramedullary nail group, 1 patient had subacromial impact. In bone plate group, 1 patient had screw cutting, 2 patients subacromial impact, and 2 patients delayed fracture healing. The incidence of complications in intramedullary nail group was 4%（1/25）, lower than 24%（5/21）in bone plate group（ P<0.05）. Conclusion:Compared with locking nail plate, interlocking intramedullary nail in the treatment of senile varus proximal humeral fracture has the advantages of small trauma, early fracture healing, less pain, early function recovery and less complications.