[Non unions of the humerus shaft (author's transl)]

The clinical evaluation of 121 cases of non union of the humerus shaft shows that 46 of these occurred after conservative and 75 after operative treatment. The main failures could be found after conservative treatment by traction methods. Operative treatment by intramedullary splinting did not achieve sufficient stability. The high rate of non unions after plate osteosynthesis is caused by basic technical faults in nearly all cases. The number of postoperative nerve palsy is remarkable. All cases could be healed by means of proper plate osteosynthesis after decortication combined with cancellous bone grafting in 12 atrophic non unions. The high rate of non unions of the humerus shaft gives occasion to reflect upon the correct indications for fracture treatment. From our point of view a more conservative attitude should be required.