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The humerus is the long bone connecting the shoulder with the elbow. Although they can happen at any age, they are more common from 60 years old onwards.
There will be severe pain at the time of the fracture with deformity of the limb and bruising.
It is suspected due to the symptoms but diagnosis is confirmed with an X-ray.
Treatment includes analgesia, anti-inflammatory drugs and immobilisation of the limb with a splint from the neck to the elbow. If it is an open fracture that brings the bone into contact with the outside, antibiotics should be added. Open fractures or fractures with multiple displaced fragments usually require reparative surgery.
- Rebecca Bassett. Proximal humeral fractures in adults. UpToDate. May 16, 2016.
- Rebecca Bassett. Midshaft humeral fractures in adults. UpToDate. Aug 09, 2016.
- Mahabier KC, Van Lieshout EM, Bolhuis HW, et al. HUMeral shaft fractures: measuring recovery after operative versus non-operative treatment (HUMMER): a multicenter comparative observational study. BMC Musculoskelet Disord 2014; 15:39.
- Gosler MW, Testroote M, Morrenhof JW, Janzing HM. Surgical versus non-surgical interventions for treating humeral shaft fractures in adults. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2012; 1:CD008832.
- Rafael Laredo Ribero, Fernando Polo Simón, Victor Delgado Alcalá, David Caldevilla Bernardo. Fracturas, luxaciones y esguinces. Manual de protocolos y actuación en urgencias. Hospital Virgen de la Salud, Complejo Hospitalario de Toledo. Tercera edición. 2010: 1047-1057
Dr. Sara Vitoria
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