HUMERUS FRACTURES OVERVIEW

Course overview

HUMERUS FRACTURES ACCOUNT FOR 4 TO 6 PERCENT OF ALL FRACTURES IN YOUNG PATIENTS AND 1 TO 3 PERCENT OF ALL FRACTURES IN ELDERLY PATIENTS. IN YOUNG MEN, THESE FRACTURES ARE USUALLY A RESULT OF HIGH-ENERGY TRAUMA WHILE IN THE OLDER POPULATION, THESE FRACTURES ARE TYPICALLY SEEN IN WOMEN AFTER A GROUND-LEVEL FALL. INTERESTINGLY, HUMERUS SHAFT FRACTURES IN POLYTRAUMA PATIENTS ARE INDEPENDENT PREDICTORS OF INTRA-ABDOMINAL INJURY, LONG BONE, AND HAND FRACTURES. TYPICALLY, THESE INJURIES CAUSE TEMPORARY DISABILITY IN THE YOUNGER POPULATION WHEREAS PERMANENT DISABILITY CAN BE SEEN IN THE ELDERLY POPULATION. THIS ACTIVITY DESCRIBES THE EVALUATION, DIAGNOSIS, AND MANAGEMENT OF HUMERUS FRACTURES AND STRESSES THE ROLE OF TEAM-BASED INTERPROFESSIONAL CARE FOR AFFECTED PATIENTS.