Research Article

The role of functional bracing in the treatment of humeral shaft fractures

Volume: 41 Number: 1 April 18, 2007
  • Bulent Ozkurt
  • Murat Altay
  • Cem Aktekin
  • Ali Toprak
  • Yalcin Tabak
TR EN

The role of functional bracing in the treatment of humeral shaft fractures

Abstract

Objectives : We evaluated clinical, radiographic, and functional results of patients treated with functional bracing for humeral shaft fractures.
Methods: Humeral shaft fractures of 30 patients (19 males, 11 females; mean age 34 years; range 18 to 64 years) were treated with functional bracing. Fractures were on the right in 18 patients, on the left in 12 patients. All were closed fractures, being spiral in 10, comminuted in nine, transverse in six, and oblique in five patients. Humeral fractures were in the upper third, middle third, and distal third in 16, 8, and 6 patients, respectively. Functional brace was applied after a mean of six days (range (0 to 16 days) and was worn throughout day and night until radiographic signs of sufficient union and healing was observed. Functional assessment was made according to the Hunter criteria. The mean follow-up was 20 months (range 10 to 58 months).
Results: Union was achieved in 24 patients (80%) after a mean of 14 weeks (range 11 to 21 weeks). Six fractures (20%) failed to unite and were subsequently treated with surgery. According to the Hunter criteria, 24 patients (80%) were evaluated as good (G3-4), and six patients (20%) as excellent (G5). The mean varus-valgus rotation was 6°, the mean anterior-posterior translation was 8° in patients who had union with functional bracing. Four patients developed skin macerations secondary to brace use. Limb shortening of 1.7 cm occurred in one patient whose fracture was united with bracing.
Conclusion: Our clinical and radiographic results suggest that, based on proper indications, functional bracing applied after regression of edema may be the treatment of choice in humeral shaft fractures.

Keywords

Details

Primary Language

English

Subjects

Health Care Administration

Journal Section

Research Article

Authors

Bulent Ozkurt This is me

Murat Altay This is me

Cem Aktekin This is me

Ali Toprak This is me

Yalcin Tabak This is me

Publication Date

April 18, 2007

Submission Date

March 7, 2014

Acceptance Date

-

Published in Issue

Year 2007 Volume: 41 Number: 1

APA
Ozkurt, B., Altay, M., Aktekin, C., Toprak, A., & Tabak, Y. (2007). The role of functional bracing in the treatment of humeral shaft fractures. Acta Orthopaedica et Traumatologica Turcica, 41(1), 15-20. https://izlik.org/JA48GK99XX
AMA
1.Ozkurt B, Altay M, Aktekin C, Toprak A, Tabak Y. The role of functional bracing in the treatment of humeral shaft fractures. Acta Orthopaedica et Traumatologica Turcica. 2007;41(1):15-20. https://izlik.org/JA48GK99XX
Chicago
Ozkurt, Bulent, Murat Altay, Cem Aktekin, Ali Toprak, and Yalcin Tabak. 2007. “The Role of Functional Bracing in the Treatment of Humeral Shaft Fractures”. Acta Orthopaedica et Traumatologica Turcica 41 (1): 15-20. https://izlik.org/JA48GK99XX.
EndNote
Ozkurt B, Altay M, Aktekin C, Toprak A, Tabak Y (April 1, 2007) The role of functional bracing in the treatment of humeral shaft fractures. Acta Orthopaedica et Traumatologica Turcica 41 1 15–20.
IEEE
[1]B. Ozkurt, M. Altay, C. Aktekin, A. Toprak, and Y. Tabak, “The role of functional bracing in the treatment of humeral shaft fractures”, Acta Orthopaedica et Traumatologica Turcica, vol. 41, no. 1, pp. 15–20, Apr. 2007, [Online]. Available: https://izlik.org/JA48GK99XX
ISNAD
Ozkurt, Bulent - Altay, Murat - Aktekin, Cem - Toprak, Ali - Tabak, Yalcin. “The Role of Functional Bracing in the Treatment of Humeral Shaft Fractures”. Acta Orthopaedica et Traumatologica Turcica 41/1 (April 1, 2007): 15-20. https://izlik.org/JA48GK99XX.
JAMA
1.Ozkurt B, Altay M, Aktekin C, Toprak A, Tabak Y. The role of functional bracing in the treatment of humeral shaft fractures. Acta Orthopaedica et Traumatologica Turcica. 2007;41:15–20.
MLA
Ozkurt, Bulent, et al. “The Role of Functional Bracing in the Treatment of Humeral Shaft Fractures”. Acta Orthopaedica et Traumatologica Turcica, vol. 41, no. 1, Apr. 2007, pp. 15-20, https://izlik.org/JA48GK99XX.
Vancouver
1.Bulent Ozkurt, Murat Altay, Cem Aktekin, Ali Toprak, Yalcin Tabak. The role of functional bracing in the treatment of humeral shaft fractures. Acta Orthopaedica et Traumatologica Turcica [Internet]. 2007 Apr. 1;41(1):15-20. Available from: https://izlik.org/JA48GK99XX