Shoulder arthrodesis with plate fixation
Abstract
Methods: The study included 8 patients (7 males and 1 female; mean age: 39.3 years; range: 22 to 68 years) who underwent arthrodesis with plate fixation and primary autogenous grafting. Mean follow-up period was 66.6 (range: 47 to 96) months. Five cases had traumatic brachial plexus palsy, 2 polio sequela and 1 sequela of an operated proximal humerus fracture due to a falling injury. One of the traumatic palsy cases was accompanied with a humerus shaft fracture. Arthrodesis was performed in all cases according to AO principles with plate fixation and primary autogenous grafting. Five of the paralytic patients also underwent Steindler flexorplasty. Follow-up assessments included monthly radiologic control for union, the visual analog scale (VAS) for pain and the Oxford shoulder score (OSS) for functional status.
Results: Radiological fusion was seen in all cases in an average of 16 (range: 12 to 18) weeks, and arthrodesis was stable at physical examination. The accompanying humerus shaft fracture was also fixed with plate. One patient with traumatic palsy experienced a humerus fracture distal to the arthrodesis plate at the 8th postoperative month. An additional traumatic palsy case had flexion deformity at the wrist in the second year of follow-up and a wrist arthrodesis with dorsal plate was performed. One patient (12.5%) had a donor site infection on the tenth day after surgery. The target positions of 30° of abduction, 30° of forward flexion, and 30° of internal rotation were achieved with an average deviation of 7°. Mean active abduction was 68.1° (range: 55° to 90°), flexion was 67.5° (range: 60° to 85°), and internal rotation was at the level of trochanter major. The mean OSS was 35.9 (range: 32 to 40), and the mean VAS score was 2.9 (range: 1 to 7).
Conclusion: Our findings show that AO reconstruction plate and primary autogenous bone grafting is a safe and effective arthrodesis method that can also be used as a salvage procedure.
Keywords
Details
Primary Language
English
Subjects
Health Care Administration
Journal Section
Research Article
Authors
Cem Esenyel
This is me
Kahraman Ozturk
This is me
Yunus Imren
This is me
Semih Ayanoglu
This is me
Publication Date
January 19, 2012
Submission Date
March 7, 2014
Acceptance Date
-
Published in Issue
Year 2011 Volume: 45 Number: 6