Journal of shoulder and elbow surgery
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J Shoulder Elbow Surg · Jan 2013
Multicenter StudyCurrent strategies for the treatment of proximal humeral fractures: an analysis of a survey carried out at 348 hospitals in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland.
The therapeutic spectrum for the treatment of displaced proximal humeral fractures ranges from conservative therapy to head-preserving surgical interventions and joint replacement. This study initiated a survey on the current treatment options with regard to diagnostics, choice of therapy, and complications that are encountered at trauma surgeries and orthopedic hospitals in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. ⋯ A preference for surgical treatment of proximal humeral fractures was found, with stabilization predominantly being attempted by the use of angle-stable implants. The 2 most common complications were "nonanatomic reduction of fractures" and the more specific problem of "implant perforation" when fixed-angle implants were used for treatment.