ABSTRACT

Objective: To compare outcomes of interlock intramedullary nails with Dynamic compression plates for the treatment of humerus shaft fractures in terms of hospital stay time and shoulder Impingement.

Subjects and Methods: In this comparative study, a total number of 74 patients having age 20-60 years who presented with closed and open Gustilo type I or II in middle third of humerus were included. Study was conducted in Islam hospital Sialkot and and Rajib Tayyip Erdogan Hospital, Muzaffargarh from June-2019 to June-2020. Group A (n=37) patients underwent dynamic compression plating (DCP) for treatment of fractures and group B (n=37) underwent interlocking intramedullary nailing (ILN) for humerus shaft fractures. We noted post-operative hospital stay, shoulder impingement and bone union rate in all patients.

Results: The mean of patients included in this study was 42.45 (SD 9.89) years. There were 57 (77.03%) males and 17 (22.97%) females. The mean duration of fracture at the time of surgery was 39.98±7.23 days. Mean hospital stay was 4.72±1.23 days in in group A and 4.89±1.40 days in group B (p-value 0.60). There were 4 (10.8%) patients in group B in whom shoulder impingement occurred but there was no patient in group A with shoulder impingement (p-value 0.04). Complete union occurred in 35 (94.6%) patients in DCP group and in 34 (91.8%) patients in ILN group (p-value 0.64).

Conclusion:  Both DCP and ILN are associated with high bone union rates. The complications rate of ILN is higher in comparison to DCP group.