Humeral shaft fracture Wheeless

Description: Mechanism:
- bending force produces transverse frx of the shaft;
- torsion force will result in a spiral fracture;
- combination of bending and torsion produce oblique frx w/ or w/o a butterfly fragment;
- compression forces will frx either proximal or distal ends of humerus;
- types of humeral shaft frx:
- transverse humeral fractures:
- distal third frx
- short oblique fractures:
- displaced fractures thru distal shaft are difficult to reduce & are difficult to maintain in reduced position;
- these fractures may be associated w/ delayed healing;
- long spiral fractures:
- spiral, comminuted, and oblique fractures have the advantage of generous fracture surface areas and tend to heal rapidly;
- if displaced with a gap which does not close when rotational alignment is restored, there may be muscle interposition;
- if left with good alignment, but with a significant gap between the frx frag, these fractures go on to atrophic nonunion;
Wheeless' Textbook of Orthopaedics