Locking Plate Combined With Endosteal Fibular Allograft Augmentation for Medial Column Comminuted Proximal Humeral Fracture.

The goal of this study was to evaluate the role of endosteal fibular allografts in the treatment of medial column comminuted proximal humerus fractures with a locking plate. The authors retrospectively analyzed the clinical outcomes of 63 patients (21 men and 42 women) who had proximal humerus fractures with a comminuted medial column and were treated at Shanghai Jiao Tong University Affiliated Sixth People's Hospital, Shanghai, China, with a locking plate, either alone or in combination with a fibular strut allograft, between January 2013 and May 2017. Patients were divided into 2 groups: locking plate combined with fibular allograft (41 patients) and locking plate alone (22 patients). After an average follow-up of 16.3 months, all fractures were healed. Statistically significant differences were seen between the 2 groups in changes in the neck-shaft angle, humeral head height (P<.001), and overall incidence of complications (P<.05). However, no statistically significant difference was found in the Constant-Murley score. The use of a locking plate in combination with intramedullary fibular allograft augmentation can help to maintain reduction and reduce postoperative complications in the treatment of proximal humerus fractures that are complicated by medial column comminution. [Orthopedics. 2020;43(6):367-372.]. Copyright 2020, SLACK Incorporated.