Locking Plate for Proximal Humeral Fracture in the Elderly Population:

Elderly patients depend on an intact musculoskeletal system in order to maintain function and independence in activities of daily living. Proximal humeral fractures account for around 5 % of all fractures and there is an in-creasing rate in elderly patients.1) There is a lack of agree-Background: We conducted this radiographic study in the elderly population with proximal humeral fracture aiming to evaluate 1) the serial changes of neck-shaft angle after locking plate fixation and 2) find relationship between change in neck shaft angle and various factors such as age, fracture pattern, severity of osteoporosis, medial support and initial reduction angle. Methods: Twenty-five patients who underwent surgical treatment for proximal humeral fracture with locking plate between Sep-tember 2008 and August 2010 are included. True anteroposterior and axillary lateral radiographs were made postoperatively and at each follow-up visit. Measurement of neck shaft angle was done at immediate postoperative, 3 months postoperative and a final follow-up (average, 11 months; range, 8 to 17 months). Severity of osteoporosis was assessed using cortical thickness sug-gested by Tingart et al. Results: The mean neck shaft angles were 133.6o (range, 100o to 116o) at immediate postoperative, 129.8o (range, 99o to 150o) at 3 months postoperative and 128.4o (range, 97o to 145o) at final follow-up. The mean loss in the neck-shaft angle in the first 3 month