Antegrade locked nailing of open humeral shaft fractures

This retrospective study of 21 patients evaluates the effectiveness of primary antegrade locked intramedullary nailing for open humeral shaft fractures. Study participants were culled from the patient database of Harborview Medical Center, an urban level-1 trauma center in Seattle, Wash. Patients were evaluated for infection, nerve injury, shoulder function, range of motion, union, and healing. All 21 fractures united. Nineteen united in an average of 9.5 weeks. Two complications united in an average of 42 weeks. Seven patients had preoperative nerve palsies with complete recovery in 4 and incomplete recovery in 2 weeks. At final follow-up, 4 patients had clinically significant shoulder pain.