Limited external fixation of plastic cardboard for the treatment of senile comminuted humeral fracture

OBJECTIVE: To explore clinical efficacy of limited external fixation with plastic paperboard in treating senile proximal comminuted humeral fracture. METHODS: From June 2015 to December 2017, 32 senile patients with proximal comminuted fracture of humerus were treated with plasticized cardboard after manual external fixation. Among them, including 13 males and 19 females aged from 55 to 85 years old with an average of(68.22±8.36) years old; 18 patients on the left side and 14 patients on the right side; all patients were regularly review shoulder X-rays and performed appropriate functional exercises. Constant-Murley shoulder joint scoring was used to evaluate clinical effects. RESULTS: Thirty-two patients were followed up for 3 to 12 months with an average of (4.97±2.39) months. All patients were underwent functional exercise under guidance of physicians. Nine patients were treated with topical Chinese herbal moist heat compresses to promote shoulder function recovery. Thirty-one patients were obtained fracture healing, the time ranged from 5 to 12 weeks with an average of(7.44±1.72)weeks. One patient was not healed due to comminuted fracture of fracture end and the separation was large, the blood supply to humeral head was insufficient for necrosis absorption. Postoperative Constant-Murley shoulder score at 3 months was 87.56±6.93; 15 patients got excellent results, 14 good, 2 fair and 1 poor. CONCLUSIONS: Limited external fixation with plastic paperboard for the treatment of senile proximal comminuted humeral fracture could ensure biomechanical stability of fracture, promote early recovery of shoulder joint function and shorten recovery time.