

Your surgeon will put the fragments of your humerus back into position (reduction).Your surgeon will locate the fracture by carefully sliding in between the muscles of the humerus.After sterilizing the affected area, your surgeon will make an incision around the upper arm muscles.The surgery is performed under sterile conditions in the operating room under general anesthesia. Open reduction and internal fixation is the procedure most commonly used to treat distal humerus fractures. The nonsurgical approach involves placing your arm in a sling to immobilize the bones and allow healing, medications, and supplements to promote healing and relieve pain, and physical therapy to prevent stiffness and weakness of the shoulder, restore range of motion, and strengthen muscles. The choice of treatment depends on the type and severity of the fracture. The management of a distal humerus fracture is comprised of non-surgical or surgical treatment. A discussion with your doctor about the medications and supplements you are taking and the need to stop if need be.A discussion with an anesthesiologist to determine the type of anesthesia you may undergo.Depending on the type of fracture you have sustained, you may be given a tetanus shot if you are not up-to-date with your immunizations.X-ray, CT scan, or MRI scan to assess surrounding structures and the broken bone.A physical exam to inspect blood circulation and nerves affected by the fracture.Since ORIF is usually performed to treat severe fractures, it often takes place as an emergency procedure. Your doctor may recommend an X-ray examination to determine the extent of the injury.
ELBOW HUMERUS FRACTURE SKIN
Your doctor may examine the skin to check for any cuts and feel the area to determine the presence of broken bones or other injuries. Signs and Symptoms of Distal Humerus FracturesĬommon signs and symptoms of distal humerus fractures may include:ĭistal humerus fractures are generally considered an emergency condition.

In addition to reporting the presence of a fracture, it is important to assess and comment on a number of other features.A distal humerus fracture is a condition that occurs when there is a break in the lower end of the humerus bone that commonly occurs as a result of severe trauma. The fracture is usually evident as a lucency and cortical breach with variable degrees of angulation, impaction and displacement. Regardless of the imaging performed, the number of displaced fragments should be assessed, to enable appropriate classification of the fracture ( Neer classification or AO classification are most commonly used). Additionally, CT (and especially 3D surface shaded reconstructions) has been shown to improve interobserver agreement on classification of proximal humeral fractures 4. CT can be useful if adequate views cannot be obtained, if fractures are unusual or if other fractures (e.g. Plain films are usually sufficient to characterize proximal humeral fractures, and thus to determine management. These forces may be compressive, tension, torsion or bending. Proximal humeral fractures usually result from a fall on an outstretched arm. Indirect forces transmitted through the proximal humerus and shoulder are the cause of most fractures.
