A preliminary clinical experience with Polarus nail for proximal humeral fractures. A pilot study on ten patients

The Polarus nail has recently been popularised to fix proximal humeral fractures. In the current pilot study we reviewed the early results obtained using this nail. Ten patients with proximal humeral fracture (four pathological, 5 traumatic and one non-union) were fixed using a Polarus nail. The fractures were classified according to Neer (7 two-parts and 3 three-part fractures). The mean followup was 22 months (6–39) months. The following criteria were assessed: pain, range of shoulder movement and function. Seven patients were satisfied with their operation, their fractures healed in a mean period of 3 months (2–4 months). No postoperative neurovascular complications were encountered; the re-operation rate, was however 30%. Conclusion: in the authors' brief pilot study in 10 patients, and despite the heterogenous fracture types, we came in to conclusion that the indications for using Polarus nail is limited due to the high complications rate associated with the procedure when used for displaced three or four part surgical neck fracture of humerus.