Abstract
This report describes the evaluation, diagnosis and conservative treatment of an 80-year-old woman with a non-pathological ipsilateral fracture of the proximal, mid-shaft and distal humerus. The treatment goal was the prompt return of the patient to a satisfactory functional status without surgical intervention. The spiral diaphyseal fracture was reduced with manual traction without anaesthesia, and a U-slab casting was applied. Immobilisation was preserved for 6 weeks, and fracture healing progressed normally. Then the patient entered a rehabilitation programme with passive and active exercises. Complex fractures of the humerus are rare and often are misdiagnosed. Conservative treatment in an aged, self-sufficient patient with low activity demands or patients with multiple medical problems is a reasonable option with satisfactory results.
Résumé
Le cas décrit l’évaluation, le diagnostic et le traitement conservateur d’une fracture ispilatérale trifocale non pathologique de l’humérus chez une patiente âgé de 80 ans. Le but du traitement était de rétablir rapidement une fonction satisfaisante sans intervention chirurgicale. La fracture diaphysaire spiroïde fut réduite par traction manuelle sans anesthésie et un pansement de type Dessault fut mis en place. L’immobilisation fut de six semaines, la fracture consolida régulièrement, puis la patiente bénéficia d’une rééducation active et passive. Les fractures complexes de l’humérus sont rares et souvent cause de faux diagnostics. Le traitement conservateur chez une patiente âgée, autonome, ayant une activité limitée et présentant de multiples problèmes médicaux, apparaît comme une solution de sagesse.
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Themistocleous, G.S., Boscainos, P.J., Apostolou, C.D. et al. Ipsilateral fractures of the proximal, mid-shaft and distal humerus. Eur J Orthop Surg Traumatol 14, 32–34 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00590-003-0118-x
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00590-003-0118-x
Keywords
- Ipsilateral fracture
- Fracture of the humeral surgical neck
- Spiral diaphyseal fracture
- Supracondylar fracture
- Rehabilitation