Locking flexible nails for diaphyseal humeral fractures in the multiply injured patient: a preliminary study.

Multiply injured patients are sometimes treated with standard intramedullary nails for diaphyseal humeral fractures. We evaluated the use of the Synthes titanium locked flexible nail in 43 multiply injured patients (average injury severity score, 35.2) assessing time to union, nonunion rate, shoulder and elbow pain, and range of motion. Twenty-seven patients underwent antegrade insertion, and 16 underwent retrograde insertion. An increase in union rate was noted with antegrade (93%) versus retrograde (69%) insertion, without statistically significant difference in shoulder and elbow pain or range of motion. We recommend the locking flexible humeral nail with antegrade insertion for multiply injured patients with large soft-tissue damage or severe comminution that renders plate fixation difficult.