The translated two-part fracture of the proximal humerus - Epidemiology and outcome in the older patient

We have undertaken a five-year prospective study of 126 translated two-part fractures of the proximal humerus and present an analysis of the epidemiol ogy and of the factors which affect outcome in elderly patients. The fracture has a unimodal age distribution and rarely affects adults unde r the age of 50 years. Analysis showed that patients with two-part translat ed fractures of the surgical neck tended to be independent and relatively f it, despite the fact that their mean age was 72 years. Outcome was determin ed by the age of each patient and the degree of translation on the initial anteroposterior radiograph. Surgery did not improve the outcome, regardless of the degree of translation.