[Innovations and prognoses]

Proximal humeral fractures are always a relevant topic in routine clinical practice. Modern surgical techniques and implants do not resolve all problems. So, this fracture remains the focus of current research. As a consequence, some innovative approaches have arisen. The following recent trends can be observed and analyzed in detail: (1) Arthroscopically assisted fracture treatment and therapy of concomitant injuries/fracture sequelae, (2) locking plates: results and complication rates of recent implants, relevance of polyaxiality, impact of osteoporotic bone structure, (3) debate: what is "minimally invasive?", (4) "medial support", (5) Arthroplasty in fracture situations - the reversed shoulder arthroplasty as primary fracture prosthesis in the elderly patient.