Shoulder function after helical long PHILOS plate.

Area of Science:

• Orthopedic surgery
• Traumatology
• Biomechanics

Background:

• Proximal humerus fractures often require surgical fixation with plates.
• The long PHILOS plate is commonly used, but carries a risk of radial nerve injury.
• A helical modification of the PHILOS plate has been proposed to mitigate this risk.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the one-year functional shoulder outcomes between helical and conventional straight long PHILOS plates for proximal humerus fractures.
• To evaluate the safety and efficacy of the helical plate technique.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective comparative study including 30 patients (14 helical, 16 straight PHILOS plate).
• Primary outcome: Normalized Constant Score at a minimum one-year follow-up.
• Level 3 evidence: Retrospective Cohort Study.

Main Results:

• Both helical and straight PHILOS plate groups demonstrated good one-year shoulder function.
• No statistically significant difference was observed in the normalized Constant Scores between the two groups.
• Surgical complication rates were similar in both treatment groups.

Conclusions:

• The helical long PHILOS plate is a safe alternative for treating proximal humerus fractures.
• This modified technique achieves comparable one-year shoulder function to the conventional straight plate.
• The helical plate approach may offer a reduced risk of radial nerve damage without compromising functional outcomes.