[Initial experiences with the humerus interlocking nail].

Abstract

A preliminary report is given on the good results of eleven patients, who had been treated with a locking nail for a fracture of the humerus at three different trauma departments. No non-union, infection or radial palsy has been seen nor was there any neurovascular complication intraoperatively. Four patients had misalignments of up to 15 degrees, whereof three of them had combined varus-recurvation-angulations without functional or cosmetic sequelae. All but one had excellent functional results six months postoperatively. Bone healing could be confirmed three months postoperatively. Only transverse and spiral fractures of the second to fifth sixth had been treated until now, though open fractures up to the second degree can be managed too. Finally, some technical issues are considered, which include a better guiding device, the use of cancellous screws for proximal looking, a more oblique position of one of the proximal screwholes to obtain some kind of interfragmentary compression for appropriate fractures, and the use of a Williams-screwdriver.