[Minimally-invasive locking compression plate to treat complex humeral shaft fracture]

To investigate an effect of the minimally-invasive locking compression plate (

CP) under the anterior humeral approach to treat the complex humeral shaft fracture.

Eleven patients (6 males, 5 females; age, 32-66 years) with a humeral shaft fracture were treated with the minimally-invasive LCP under the modified anterior humeral approach from March 2005 to February 2006. Five of the patients were injured in a traffic accident and the remaining 6 were wounded in a fall. All the patients had an unstable fracture. The multiple segment fracture was found in 2 patients, the obligue line fracture in 1 patient, and the long segment comminuted fracture in 8 patients, of whom the radial nerve injury was found in 1 patient, who had an emergency treatment by the loosening of the radial nerve and the internally fixing with LCP. As for the fracture site, the middle- and/or the upper-part fracture of the humerus was found in 6 patients, and the middle and/or lower-part fracture of the humerus was found in 5 patients. The patients underwent the operation in the period from 48 hours to 4 days after the injuries.

All the patients had a complete healing of their fractures 2-4 months after operation. One patient underwent the loosening of the radial nerve and the internally-fixing with LCP, and his function recovered 3 days after operation. The follow-up for 6-12 months revealed that all the patients' function recovered. According to the Neer Scoring System for the shoulder function evaluation, 7 patients had an excellent result, 3 had a good result, and 1 had a fair result. According to the HSS Scoring System, 9 patients had an excellent result and 2 had a good result.

The minimally-invasive locking compression plate under the anterior humeral approach to treat the complex humeral shaft fracture is an effective and safe method of treating the complex humeral shaft fracture.