[Treatment of distal humeral shaft fractures at Polanco Mexican Red Cross]

To determine which is the most effective treatment for the management of soft tissues, the functional recovery and the healing of distal third humeral shaft fractures at the Mexican Red Cross trauma center.

This is a retrospective, longitudinal, comparative study of patients with a diagnosis of distal third humeral shaft fractures; clinical and radiographic follow-up was done with the MEPI, UCLA and Montoya functional scales at week 24.

The results of patient follow-up using the MEPI in Group I were: 2 poor, 3 fair, 1 excellent; in Group II: 8 excellent; in Group III: 3 poor, 2 fair, 4 excellent; in Group IV: 1 poor, 5 fair and 2 excellent. The UCLA results were: Group I, 3 poor, 2 good, 2 excellent; Group II: 5 excellent, 2 good; Group III, 4 poor, 1 partial, 2 good and 2 excellent; Group IV, 4 partial, 2 good, 2 excellent. The results of the Montoya scale were: Group I, 3 stage II, 1 stage III, 2 stage IV; Group II, 3 stage III, 5 stage IV; Group III, 3 stage II, 5 stage III, 1 stage IV; Group IV, 2 stage II, 2 stage III, 4 stage IV.

This paper shows that the anterior 4.5 mm LCP MI plate has been the best treatment for distal third humeral shaft fractures.