eMedicine Specialties > Orthopedic Surgery > Shoulder

Proximal Humerus Fractures: Follow-up

Author: Mark Frankle, MD, Director of Shoulder and Elbow Fellowship Program, Florida Orthopedic Institute; Chief, Clinical Associate Professor, Department of Surgery, University of South Florida College of Medicine
Contributor Information and Disclosures

Updated: Oct 16, 2009

Outcome and Prognosis

The overall prognosis for proximal humerus fractures depends on numerous factors, including the following:

  • Type of fracture (Neer type)
  • Age of the patient
  • Overall health status of patient
  • Patient's expectations
  • Willingness of the patient to undergo lengthy rehabilitation
  • Ability to restore stability of the fracture with anatomic restoration in surgically treated fractures

These fractures as a whole require at least 1 year for recovery.

Future and Controversies

Improved imaging modalities will improve accuracy in classifying proximal humerus fractures. This will improve the selection of patients best suited for operative intervention and will allow better comparison of different treatments. Improved use of limited internal fixation with percutaneous fixation, with or without growth factors to help accelerate healing, also will produce more reliable outcomes with less morbidity. The use of humeral head replacement will continue to be refined and will produce functional outcomes with consistent pain relief. Finally, ideal rehabilitation for fractures treated operatively or nonoperatively will minimize time for functional recovery following these injuries.

 
Acknowledgments

Dr. Raymond Long, MD, FRCSC, is gratefully acknowledged for contributions made to this article.



More on Proximal Humerus Fractures

Overview: Proximal Humerus Fractures
Workup: Proximal Humerus Fractures
Treatment: Proximal Humerus Fractures
Follow-up: Proximal Humerus Fractures
References
Further Reading
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References

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Keywords

proximal humerus fractures, proximal humeral fracture, humerus fracture, humeral fracture, fracture of humerus, fractured humerus, shoulder fractures, osteoporosis, arm bone

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Contributor Information and Disclosures

Author

Mark Frankle, MD, Director of Shoulder and Elbow Fellowship Program, Florida Orthopedic Institute; Chief, Clinical Associate Professor, Department of Surgery, University of South Florida College of Medicine
Mark Frankle, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, American College of Surgeons, and American Medical Association
Disclosure: djo Consulting fee Consulting

Medical Editor

Jegan Krishnan, MBBS, FRACS, PhD, Professor, Chair, Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Flinders University of South Australia; Senior Clinical Director of Orthopedic Surgery, Repatriation General Hospital; Private Practice, Orthopaedics SA, Ashford Specialist Centre
Jegan Krishnan, MBBS, FRACS, PhD is a member of the following medical societies: Australian Medical Association, Australian Orthopaedic Association, and Royal Australasian College of Surgeons
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Pharmacy Editor

Francisco Talavera, PharmD, PhD, Senior Pharmacy Editor, eMedicine
Disclosure: eMedicine Salary Employment

Managing Editor

Pekka A Mooar, MD, Professor, Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Temple University School of Medicine
Pekka A Mooar, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

CME Editor

Dinesh Patel, MD, FACS, Associate Clinical Professor of Orthopedic Surgery, Harvard Medical School; Chief of Arthroscopic Surgery, Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital
Dinesh Patel, MD, FACS is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin, American College of International Physicians, and American College of Surgeons
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Chief Editor

Mary Ann E Keenan, MD, Professor, Vice Chair for Graduate Medical Education, Department of Orthopedic Surgery, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine; Chief of Neuro-Orthopedics Program, Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania
Mary Ann E Keenan, MD is a member of the following medical societies: Alpha Omega Alpha, American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, American Orthopaedic Association, American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society, American Society for Surgery of the Hand, and Orthopaedic Rehabilitation Association
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

 
 
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