Upper arm proximal humerus fractures
Upper arm bone fractures caused by trauma such as traffic accidents, falls and gunshot injuries constitute five percent of the fractures seen in the whole body. Fractures of the upper extremity of the upper arm bone that form the shoulder joint are called proximal humerus fractures.
Due to the fracture that occurs after trauma, the patient has difficulty in arm and shoulder movements, and severe pain accompanies other complaints. In proximal humerus fractures that require rapid intervention, physical examination and radiological examinations determine the degree of fracture, fragmentation and separation.
Conservative or surgical treatment method is preferred depending on the condition of the patient’s fracture. The type of treatment to be performed depends on the age of the patient, the number of parts of the fracture, the separation amount of the broken parts, and whether there is a vascular-nerve injury.
In conservative (non-surgical) treatment, fixation method with various slings and bandages is used. If the position of the fracture is deemed suitable in the bandage, it is expected to heal by weekly x-rays checks.
In cases where surgery is required, it is preferred to fix the fracture openly and with plate-screw or in some cases, to apply prosthesis.
