Humeral diaphyseal aseptic non-unions: an Algorithm of management

Successful operative treatment of a humeral shaft non-union may be a challenge for the surgeon. Several treatment options have been reported over the years. A systematic review of the literature was performed. Twenty-three retrieved articles (level of evidence IV) fulfilled our inclusion criteria and dealt with aseptic diaphyseal humeral non-union managed by plating, intramedullary nailing and external fixation based on Ilizarov's principles. Despite an obvious superiority of plating in the treatment of humeral shaft non-unions, there is no doubt that intramedullary nailing as well as external fixation devices have a role. An algorithm of management of the humeral shaft non-unions following a rational approach is suggested.     

Supracondylar Femoral Nail in the management of non-union of humeral shaft fractures

We reviewed seven patients with established non-union of a shaft of humerus fracture, treated by locked intramedullary nailing using the Intramedullary Supracondylar Nail (IMSC Nail; Smith & Nephew Richards, Memphis TN). The mean age of the patients was 65 years (range 48-78 years). Three of the fractures involved the proximal third of the diaphysis while the remaining four involved the middle third. Six of the original fractures were closed and one was an open fracture. The time interval between the original injury and final surgery averaged 9.3 months. All the nailings were done by the ante-grade approach with static locking. Six of the patients had closed nailing and one had open nailing with bone grafting. The mean follow-up was 8 months and osseous union was achieved in all seven cases at a mean of 5.6 months. We conclude that the Supracondylar Femoral Nail is a useful alternative implant in the management of non-union of fractures of the humeral shaft with wide medullary canals.     

Locked intramedullary nailing for difficult nonunions of the humeral diaphysis

Antegrade intramedullary nailing and bone grafting was carried out for 27 patients with resistant atrophic nonunion of the humeral diaphysis. The initial fracture was open in 12 cases and closed in 15. There were ten proximal humeral fractures, 13 mid-shaft fractures and four distal humeral shaft fractures. Most had previous attempts at internal fixation with bone grafting. Fifteen cases united, but 12 remained ununited necessitating further surgical treatment. The failures were all in the more complex cases. Lack of rigidity and compression may be the problem.     

Diaphysäre Humeruspseudarthrosen

The development of humerus nonunion is dependent on the type of fracture, the extent of soft tissue stripping during surgery, the stability of the osteosynthesis, and multiple patient-dependent factors. Treatment should focus on nonunion pathogenesis. The gold standard for the treatment of oligotrophic, atrophic and infected nonunions is radical resection of the nonunion tissue, bone grafting and plate fixation, preferentially using locking plates. Reaming bone graft and stabilization with intramedullary (i.m.) nailing is utilized in hypertrophic nonunion. Since 1993, we have followed-up 51 patients after surgical treatment for humeral shaft nonunion. In eight of 35 cases (22.8%) treated with i.m. nailing, bone healing was not achieved, whereas in all 14 cases of nonunion treated with plate osteosynthesis bone healing occurred. Evaluation of failure in healing humeral shaft nonunion using the i.m. nailing technique revealed that the i.m. nail specifically designed to treat humeral shaft fractures showed several biomechanical and biological deficits for the treatment of nonunions. The major reason for failure in bone healing was a lack of bone grafting that is essential for osteoinduction in oligotrophic nonunions, loosening of locking screws, and unstable small implants.     

逆行髓内钉结合植骨治疗肱骨中远段骨折术后不愈合

[目的]探讨肱骨干中远段骨折内固定术后不愈合的原因及对策。[方法]2000年1月～2005年1月治疗肱骨干中远段骨折内固定术后不愈合27例，取出原有内固定后应用逆行髓内钉结合植骨治疗。[结果]随访6～32个月，平均16个月。骨折均愈合，患肢关节功能恢复良好，无伤口感染、髓内钉断裂及肱骨远端骨折等并发症。[结论]逆行髓内钉结合植骨是治疗肱骨干中远段骨折内固定术后不愈合的一种有效方法。     

Intramedullary nailing of humeral shaft fractures

Summary Humeral shaft fractures can be treated either conservatively or operatively. Plating of the humerus is the established operative method, but recently interest has also been focussed on intramedullary nailing. Fifty-nine cases of humeral fractures treated with intramedullary nailing (Seidel/Marchetti-Vicenzi/Prévot) from January 1991 to December 1995 (44 fractures after trauma, 11 pathological fractures, 3 pseudarthroses, 1 re-fracture). Closed reduction in 55/59 cases. One infection (soft tissue); 2/48 pseudarthrosis (indication for nailing: pseudarthrosis!). No iatrogenic palsy of the radial nerve. Functional postoperative treatment in all 44 cases of humeral fractures after adequate trauma. One poor functional result: periarticular ossification after retrograde nailing, possibly connected with long-term respiratory treatment after trauma. Treatment of humeral shaft fractures by intramedullary nailing is favoured in our clinic (low complication rates, excellent or good functional results, limited approaches, small scars). Proximal fractures should be treated by the Seidel nail (stable interlocking of the proximal fragment); very distal fractures need Prévot nailing (reaming of condylar canals). All other fractures of the humeral shaft can be treated by each of the implants used in our clinic. Pathological fractures are an excellent indication for intramedullary stabilization. These patients benefit from stable fixation without intense surgical trauma. Pseudarthrosis, according to our limited experience, seems to require plating plus bone grafting. Plating is also recommended if revision of the radial nerve becomes necessary.      

Cerclage wiring and intramedullary nailing,a helpful and safe option specially in proximal fractures. A multicentric study

Purpose

Antegrade intramedullary nailing is an alternative for humeral shaft fracture treatment. This surgical technique can be especially demanding in some fracture patterns, leading to problems like malunion and non-union. The purpose of our study is to demonstrate that the use of a nail with cerclage wires could be a safe procedure that facilitate reduction, specially in fractures with abduction of the proximal fragment.

Intramedullary nailing of humeral shaft fractures. A retrospective study of 126 cases.

Antegrade intramedullary nailing with four different implants was used in 126 humeral shaft fractures. There were 74 acute fractures, 17 pathologic fractures, 16 fractures malaligned in a hanging cast or brace, 15 fractures with delayed union and 4 fractures that were nailed after failed open reduction and internal fixation. The nonunion rate was 21/95 after primary operation, and after reoperations 14/95. Distraction of the fracture was a significant cause of nonunion, but not type of fracture, localization, implant, and delay between injury and surgery. Shoulder joint function was significantly impaired in 25/67 patients. The patients regarded the result as good or satisfactory in 41/67 of the cases who were followed mean 3 (0.5-10) years. We conclude that antegrade intramedullary nailing of humeral shaft fractures leads to a substantial risk of non-union and impairment of shoulder function. It can be recommended as primary treatment only when nonoperative treatment is likely to fail.     

Nonunion of humeral shaft fractures following flexible nailing fixation

The treatment of humeral shaft fractures ranges from conservative modalities to operative fixation, including plate osteosynthesis and intramedullary fixation. Nonunion is a complication of conservative and operative interventions but is more often associated with elastic nailing. This article discusses elucidates the successful outcomes achieved with flexible nailing of humeral shaft fractures.     

The treatment of nonunions following intramedullary nailing of femoral shaft fractures

OBJECTIVE: To assess the effectiveness of different surgical options in the treatment of nonunion of a femoral shaft fracture after initial intramedullary nailing. DESIGN: Retrospective. SETTING: University hospital. PATIENTS AND METHODS: During a seven-year period a total of 278 skeletally mature patients with 280 fresh femoral shaft fractures were treated by intramedullary nailing. Of these patients, a subgroup of consecutive patients with nonunion of the fracture were subjected to a detailed analysis and were followed until the fracture was united (mean thirty-three months). Injury mechanism, fracture pattern using various established classifications, any possible concomitant injuries, complications, and subsequent surgical interventions were recorded. RESULTS: Of the total of 280 fractures, nonunion was observed in thirty-four patients with thirty-five fractures (12.5 percent). To achieve solid union, one reoperation was sufficient in twenty-five fractures, six fractures had to be operated on twice, and four needed three operations. There were five patients with autogenous bone grafting alone, and all five required a further reoperation for the nonunion. After a dynamization procedure, four of seventeen patients required a further reoperation. After eight exchange nailing procedures, further surgery for nonunion was necessary in only one case. Solid union was achieved within six months after the final successful reoperation. A marked shortening of the femur developed as a local complication in six cases, four of which had undergone dynamization as final treatment before solid union. CONCLUSIONS: Exchange nailing without extracortical bone grafting seems to be the most effective method to treat a disturbed union of a femoral shaft fracture after intramedullary nailing. Autogenous extracortical bone grafting alone proved to be insufficient. Dynamization predisposed to shortening of the bone.     

Intramedullary nailing of humeral shaft fractures: A retrospective study of 126 cases

Antegrade intramedullary nailing with four different implants was used in 126 humeral shaft fractures. There were 74 acute fractures, 17 pathologic fractures, 16 fractures malaligned in a hanging cast or brace, 15 fractures with delayed union and 4 fractures that were nailed after failed open reduction and internal fixation. The nonunion rate was 21/95 after primary operation, and after reoperations 14/95. Distraction of the fracture was a significant cause of nonunion, but not type of fracture, localization, implant, and delay between injury and surgery. Shoulder joint function was significantly impaired in 25/67 patients. The patients regarded the result as good or satisfactory in 41/67 of the cases who were followed mean 3 (0.5-10) years.

We conclude that antegrade intramedullary nailing of humeral shaft fractures leads to a substantial risk of non-union and impairment of shoulder function. It can be recommended as primary treatment only when nonoperative treatment is likely to fail.     

肱骨干骨折顺行与逆行髓内针固定的病例 对照研究

目的：比较肱骨干骨折顺行与逆行髓内针固定的疗效。方法：入选1999年3月至2006年10月间有完整随访资料的肱骨干骨折105例,分为顺行髓内针组（A组）82例,逆行髓内针组（B组）23例。对两组的手术时间、术中出血量、并发症发生率、骨折愈合时间、骨折愈合率、Constant—Murley肩关节功能评分和Mayo肘关节功能评分等指标进行比较。结果：随访时间平均（31．2±20．9）个月。两组的手术时间、骨折愈合时间、愈合率及并发症发生率比较差异无统计学意义（P〉0．05）。B组术中出血量大于A组（P=0．002）。A组有4例（4．9％）不愈合,8例（9．8％）发生肩痛伴肩关节活动度减小,B组3例（13．0％）术中发生医源性骨折。A组肩关节功能评分低于B组（P=0．04）,肘关节功能评分两组比较差异无统计学意义（P〉0．05）。结论：顺行与逆行髓内针固定均是治疗肱骨干骨折的有效方法,但逆行髓内针固定医源性骨折发生率较高,应正确选择和制备髓内针入点。顺行髓内针固定有较高的肩痛和肩关节活动度减小的并发症发生率,注意将髓内针尾埋于肩袖下方,细致保护和修复肩袖,术后进行合理的康复练习,有利于减少肩痛和改善肩关节功能。     

Plating of humeral shaft fractures--has the pendulum swung back?

We reviewed 49 patients following plate osteosynthesis of humeral shaft fractures. There were no complications as a result of surgery. Union occurred in 47 patients (96%) at a mean of 9 weeks. Two patients required secondary procedures to achieve union. All patients had full range of motion in the elbow and shoulder joints following union. In the light of the popularisation of intramedullary nailing techniques in the last decade, with recognised complications of iatrogenic radial nerve injury, inadequate rotational stabilisation, non-union and shoulder impingement, we advocate plating of humeral shaft fractures as the surgical treatment of choice.     

逆行置入交锁髓内钉治疗肱骨干骨折

目的　总结临床采用逆行置入交锁髓内钉治疗肱骨干骨折的经验。方法　采用 AO的专用钻头在鹰嘴窝上约 2 cm处钻孔 ,确定和准备进针入点 ,由肘向肩逆行置入 AO的非扩髓交锁髓内钉的方法治疗闭合性肱骨干骨折 15例。结果　 15例骨折在 3个月内全部骨性愈合 (8～ 12周 ) ,15例肩关节活动度于术后 3个月时已达正常对侧的 95 % ,肘关节活动度达正常的 85 %。有 2例病人肘关节活动度伸直较健侧相差 2 0°,拔钉后功能锻炼 1个月后恢复良好。结论　逆行置入交锁髓内钉治疗肱骨干骨折 ,避免了对肩袖的干扰 ,固定牢靠 ,肩肘关节功能恢复快 ,二期拆除内固定简便 ,是治疗肱骨干骨折的有效方法     

Retrograde intramedullary nailing for humeral shaft fractures in adults. Evaluation of anatomical and functional results in 63 cases

PURPOSE OF THE STUDY: Many methods have been proposed for treatment of displaced humeral shaft fractures in adults. This study was designed to evaluate the anatomical and functional results of patients treated by retrograde intramedullary nailing through the lateral condyle. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sixty-three fresh traumatic fractures of the humerus were treated between January 2000 and January 2003. Five patients were lost to follow-up. The AO classification and the Hackethal classification modified by De La Caffinière were used. Outcome was assessed according to the modified Stewart and Hundey classification. RESULTS: We had 23 very good results, 26 good results, five passable results and four bad results. The bad results were three cases of non-union and one case with poor function (stiffness of elbow and shoulder). Mean delay to union was ten weeks four days. There were no cases of iatrogenic radial nerve palsy or pin migration. CONCLUSION: Retrograde intramedullary nailing is a reliable method, easy to perform and of low economic cost. We propose it for all types of displaced shaft humeral fractures.     

Failure of reamed nailing in humeral non-union: an analysis of 26 patients

The use of an intramedullary nail in the treatment of humeral non-unions remains controversial. This study evaluated the treatment of humeral delayed and non-unions with reamed nailing and compression. In a retrospective analysis of prospectively gathered data from 26 cases all treated with the Telescopic Locking Nail (TLN), the healing rate after the first intervention for non-union was 58%. After one or more re-interventions combined with an external cancellous bone graft at some time during follow-up, 90% of the 21 patients with complete follow-up eventually healed after a mean of 22 months. A total of 49 procedures with a mean of 1.9 per patient were needed. After a mean follow-up of 65 (range 24-88) months, we conducted a study to assess the functional results in the shoulder and elbow. Twelve patients were suitable for inclusion. We used the Neer and Morrey score for shoulder and elbow function, respectively. For the Neer score the median was 91 points and for the Morrey score 94 points. The outcome suggests that simple reamed nailing of humeral non-union is insufficient. Reamed interlocked nailing is feasible, provided that the primary intervention for non-union is combined with an external cancellous bone graft.     

交锁髓内钉治疗胫骨下段骨不连

目的:探讨交锁髓内钉治疗胫骨下段骨不连的有效性。方法:2000年4月-2004年2月,应用交锁髓内钉治疗胫骨下段骨不连45例,男28例,女17例;年龄20~58岁,平均38岁。其中肥大型18例,萎缩型14例,营养不良型13例。骨折冠状面成角0°~22°,平均8°;矢状位成角为0°~16°,平均5°。从受伤到交锁髓内钉固定时间为5~12个月,平均7个月。原始创伤为开放性骨折12例,闭合性骨折33例。无大于1.5 cm的节段性骨质缺损。4例胫骨下段肥大型骨不连闭合置入髓内钉,折端未植骨;4例胫骨下端骨不连(肥大型1例,营养不良型3例)应用改良髓内钉治疗。所有病例均采用静力型固定。结果:经7~14个月(平均10个月)随访,44例经3~5个月获得愈合,平均愈合时间3.8个月。1例术后8个月骨折未愈合,经切开植骨、辅助石膏外固定3个月后愈合。术后无活动性感染及慢性骨髓炎发生。结论:交锁髓内钉固定治疗胫骨下段骨不连具有良好的矫正畸形能力和最少量软组织剥离的优点。     

肱骨交锁髓内钉治疗肱骨骨折术后骨不连

目的介绍应用肱骨交锁髓内钉治疗肱骨骨折术后骨不连的经验。方法1997年10月～2001年7月,应用肱骨交锁髓内钉治疗12例肱骨骨折术后骨不连患者,其中肥大型5例,萎缩型2例,假关节形成5例。受伤至骨不连手术的时间平均为10．5个月(5～33个月)。手术采用开放复位顺行置入髓内钉,锁入远端交锁钉后向近端打拔以使断端加压,自体髂骨及RBX植骨。结果所有患者获平均21个月(9～51个月)随访。12例患者骨不连均获得愈合,平均愈合时间为5．8个月(3．5～8．0个月)。其中1例去除髓内钉后1年于原骨不连部位发生再骨折,重新植骨内固定而获得愈合。11例肩关节及上肢功能恢复良好。所有患者未遗留神经损伤症状。结论肱骨交锁髓内钉为治疗肱骨骨折术后骨不连的有效方法。     

胫骨骨折术后骨不连治疗方法的疗效比较

[目的]探讨带锁髓内钉固定后胫骨骨折骨不连治疗方法的选择和疗效。[方法]348例带锁髓内钉固定胫骨骨折中发生骨不连36例。采用冲击波治疗lO例；髓内钉动力化8例；髓内钉动力化加自体植骨6例；单纯自体植骨5例；改钢板固定加自体植骨3例；肥大型骨不连更换髓内钉4例。[结果]所有病例平均随访28个月。6个月内再手术者较6个月后再手术者愈合时间明显缩短（P〈0.05）。冲击波治疗10例中1例不愈合，经2次冲击波治疗后愈合。髓内钉动力化8例中2例不愈合，经冲击波治疗后愈合，其中2例发生骨缩短；髓内钉动力化加自体植骨6例均愈合；单纯自体植骨5例中2例8个月未愈合，更换髓内钉加自体植骨后愈合；改钢板固定加自体植骨3例均愈合；肥大型骨不连更换髓内钉4例均愈合。【结论】早期治疗带锁髓内钉固定后胫骨骨折骨不连效果肯定。髓内钉动力化可促进骨愈合，但有引起骨缩短的可能；更换髓内钉或钢板加自体植骨治疗骨不连效果满意；冲击波有促进骨不连愈合的作用。     

Interlocking intramedullary nailing for nonunion of the proximal humerus with the Straight Nail System

Nonunion of the proximal humerus is a challenging problem. Since 1996, we have performed interlocking intramedullary nailing for the treatment of proximal humeral nonunions with the Straight Nail System and bone grafting. The objective of this study was to investigate the clinical outcomes of this procedure in patients with proximal humeral nonunion. We investigated 14 consecutive patients (mean age, 74.3 +/- 8.7 years). One patient was excluded because of associated brachial plexus palsy. All but 2 were initially treated conservatively. Range-of-motion exercises were started 1 week after the operation. The mean follow-up period was 37.8 months. Union was achieved in all cases without any evidence of malunion. All patients had improved range of motion of the shoulder and were satisfied with the surgical results. Mean flexion of the shoulder was 122 degrees +/- 14 degrees, and mean external rotation was 35 degrees +/- 10 degrees. Interlocking intramedullary nailing with the Straight Nail System and bone grafting offered a successful method of stable internal fixation in these complex proximal humeral nonunion cases.