[Therapeutic approaches for proximal humerus fractures]

Area of Science:

• Orthopedic Surgery
• Geriatric Medicine
• Public Health

Background:

• Proximal humerus fractures (PHF) are the third most common fracture type in individuals over 65.
• The incidence of PHF increases with age, posing a significant public health challenge due to the aging population.

Purpose of the Study:

• To address the ongoing debate in PHF treatment strategies.
• To propose a simplified, pragmatic treatment algorithm for guiding therapeutic decisions in PHF management.

Main Methods:

• Review of recent publications comparing conservative versus surgical treatment outcomes for PHF.
• Adaptation of a previously suggested multiparametric treatment algorithm for PHF.

Main Results:

• Recent studies indicate comparable outcomes between conservative and surgical treatments for certain PHF types.
• A consensus on the specific parameters for multiparametric analysis in PHF treatment decision-making is lacking.

Conclusions:

• Therapeutic decisions for PHF should consider individual patient parameters.
• The proposed simplified algorithm guides choices between conservative management, osteosynthesis, and arthroplasty for proximal humerus fractures.