[Humeral shaft fractures]

Since Lorenz Böhler postulated in his 1964 summary with the title "Against the operative treatment of fresh humeral shaft fractures" that the operative treatment is the exception in the therapy of humeral fractures times have changed. In the last years a conservative treatment of a humeral fracture is the exception and only used after straight indications. The operative therapy nowadays is the gold standard because of the development of new intramedullar and rotation stable implants in addition to the classical osteosynthesis with the plate. But even the external fixator for primary stabilisation in polytrauma patients or as rescue procedure after complications should be in repertory of every orthopedic surgeon. Attention should be put on the avoidance of primary and the correct treatment of secondary nerval lesions, esp. of the radial nerve. Here we are tending to the operative revision of the nerve in indistinct cases. In the treatment of the seldom humeral shaft fracture of the child conservative treatment is to prefer; in complications a resolute shift to a final operative stabilisation of the fracture is necessary.