Surgical approaches to the humeral shaft

Open fractures, transverse, short oblique and spiroid fractures of the humeral shaft, as well as comminuted fractures with radial palsy or vascular injury, mostly lead to bad end-results if treated conservatively. The same is valid in the case of bilateral humeral shaft fractures, multiple injuries, polytrauma, pathologic fractures and pseudarthrosis. Good end-results and a low rate of complications in the operative procedure require an adequate approach to the fractured limb as well as a meticulous care of the soft tissues. In plate osteosynthesis, the anterolateral approach for the proximal third of the shaft, the anterolateral approach with radial exposure for the middle third of the shaft and the posterior approach for the distal third of the shaft seem to offer the best pathway for reposition and fixation, respecting the biologic requirements for a successful osteosynthesis. The approaches for external fixation demand a thorough knowledge of the course of the axillary and radial nerves. Unreamed intramedullary nailing can be done in an anterograde and in a retrograde way. In anterograde nailing, damage of the rotator cuff must be avoided, in retrograde nailing, the elbow capsule should be left closed and untouched.