Posterior percutaneous plating of the humerus

Area of Science:

• Orthopedic Surgery
• Traumatology

Background:

• Humeral shaft fractures require effective surgical management.
• Minimally invasive techniques are increasingly favored for fracture repair.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the clinical outcomes of posterior percutaneous plating for humeral fractures.
• To assess the safety and efficacy of this minimally invasive approach.

Main Methods:

• A prospective case series of 37 patients with middle and distal third humeral fractures.
• Surgical treatment involved minimally invasive plate osteosynthesis via a posterior approach.
• Patients were followed for 12-24 months post-surgery.

Main Results:

• All fractures achieved bone union within 16-21 weeks.
• No intraoperative complications, infections, or hardware failures were reported.
• Two patients experienced temporary radial nerve palsy; all regained normal range of motion and returned to pre-injury activity levels.

Conclusions:

• Posterior percutaneous plating is a safe and effective method for treating humeral shaft fractures.
• This approach preserves triceps anatomy, facilitating rapid postoperative rehabilitation.
• Excellent clinical outcomes and patient satisfaction were observed.