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Principles of Fixation for Distal Humerus Fractures

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Simple and Complex Fractures of the Humerus

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Abstract

Fractures of the distal humerus are common and are increasing in frequency as the average age of our population increases. Nonoperative management is rarely indicated and reserved for undisplaced fractures, for patients for whom anesthesia is deemed to pose too high of a risk, and for patients not mentally fit for surgery. Nonoperative treatment commonly results in poor outcomes due to nonunion, malunion, and joint stiffness. The alternative to conservative treatment is surgery with reduction and fixation using plates or wires. Early reports on open reduction and internal fixation, however, were unsatisfactory because the plates were bulky, difficult to contour, and rarely able to provide good distal fixation. On the other hand, other techniques, such as Kirschner wire fixation, did not provide adequate stability to treat bicolumnar distal humeral fractures. In this chapter, the principles of modern surgical treatment for the fixation of distal humerus fractures will be discussed with particular emphasis on complications, new devices, and postoperative care.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, University of Turin Medical School, Mauriziano-Umberto I Hospital, Largo Turati 62, Turin, 10128, Italy

    Davide Blonna

  2. Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, University of Turin Medical School, CTO-Maria Adelaide Hospital, Via Zuretti 29, Turin, 10126, Italy

    Enrico Bellato

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  1. Davide Blonna
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Correspondence to Davide Blonna .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, CTO Hospital Turin, Turin, Italy

    Filippo Castoldi

  2. Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Mauriziano-Umberto I Hospital, Turin, Italy

    Davide Blonna

  3. Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Mauriziano-Umberto I Hospital, Turin, Italy

    Marco Assom

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Blonna, D., Bellato, E. (2015). Principles of Fixation for Distal Humerus Fractures. In: Castoldi, F., Blonna, D., Assom, M. (eds) Simple and Complex Fractures of the Humerus. Springer, Milano. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-88-470-5307-6_25

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-88-470-5307-6_25

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