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Humeral Shaft Fixation in Adults: Plate Fixation, Intramedullary Nail, or Nonoperative?

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Controversies in Orthopedic Surgery of The Upper Limb

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Abstract

Whenever possible, treatment of humerus diaphyseal fractures should be conservative. In the event of failure of such treatment or in fractures with surgical criteria, the current trend is to perform minimally invasive plate osteosynthesis. Other surgical options are closed reduction and intramedullary nail fixation and open reduction and internal fixation with plate. Numerous studies have not demonstrated the superiority of any of them, pointing out as the main disadvantage of open reduction the wide approach required jeopardizing the radial nerve and, for intramedullary nailing, the possible tendon injury and functional impairment of the shoulder. When surgical treatment is required, it is advisable to place plates percutaneously in these fractures.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, “Infanta Elena” University Hospital, Valdemoro, Madrid, Spain

    Elena Gálvez-Sirvent

  2. Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, “La Paz” University Hospital-IdiPaz, Madrid, Spain

    Aitor Ibarzabal-Gil & E. Carlos Rodríguez-Merchán

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  1. Elena Gálvez-Sirvent
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  2. Aitor Ibarzabal-Gil
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  3. E. Carlos Rodríguez-Merchán
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Orthopedic Surgery, La Paz University Hospital-IdiPaz, Madrid, Spain

    E Carlos Rodríguez-Merchán

  2. Department of Orthopedic Surgery, La Paz University Hospital-IdiPaz, Madrid, Spain

    Alonso Moreno-Garcìa

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Gálvez-Sirvent, E., Ibarzabal-Gil, A., Rodríguez-Merchán, E.C. (2022). Humeral Shaft Fixation in Adults: Plate Fixation, Intramedullary Nail, or Nonoperative?. In: Rodríguez-Merchán, E.C., Moreno-Garcìa, A. (eds) Controversies in Orthopedic Surgery of The Upper Limb . Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-04907-1_8

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