CLOSED HUMORAL SHAFT FRACTURES - A PROSPECTIVE EVALUATION OF SURGICAL-TREATMENT

Objective: We tried to define the roles of the rigid dynamic compressi on plate (DCP) and the semi-rigid Ender nail (EN) in the treatment of closed humeral shaft fractures, Design: A prospective, randomized clin ical study was performed with detailed comparison parameters, Material s and Methods: Ninety-one closed humeral shaft fractures were treated, Randomly, 30 humeri were treated with open reduction and internal fix ation with DCP and no bone grafting (BG), 29 were treated with the sam e procedure but with BG, and 32 were treated with closed reduction and internal fixation with Ender nails, The average follow-up period was 32 months (range, 13-54 months),Measurements and Main Results: In the group with DCP without BG, the average blood loss was 270 mL, operatio n time was 92 minutes, hospital length of stay was 6.5 days, and union time was 12.5 weeks, In the group with DCP with BG, the average blood loss was 325 mt, operation time was 108 minutes, hospital length of s tay was 6.9 days, and union time was 9.4 weeks, In the EN group, the a verage blood loss was 114 mt, operation time was 54 minutes, hospital length of stag was 5.6 days, and union time was 9.9 weeks. Analysis of variance and Fisher's exact test were used to evaluate the statistica l significance. Conclusion: In our experience, for humeral shaft fract ures fixed surgically, EN is better than DCP without BG. When DCP is c hosen for the means of fixation, prophylactic BG is recommended, espec ially in cases with more comminution.