Advantages of percutaneous minimally invasive plate internal fixation in the treatment of complex proximal humeral fractures

Objective To explore the clinical advantages of minimally invasive percutaneous plate osteosynthesis (MIPPO) in the treatment of proximal humerus fractures of Neer typeⅢ andⅣ. Methods From May 2015 to May 2018, 78 cases of proximal humerus fractures of Neer type Ⅲ and Ⅳ were treated with MIPPO and open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF). There were 36 cases in MIPPO group, 20 males and 16 females, including 21 cases of Part Ⅲ fractures and 15 cases of Part Ⅳ fractures; and 42 cases in ORIF group, 24 males and 18 females, including 26 cases of Part Ⅲ fractures and 16 cases of Part Ⅳ fractures. The length of incision, the amount of bleeding, the time of operation, the time of fracture healing, the UCLA score of shoulder joint before and 3, 6 months after operation, the Constant-Murley score of shoulder joint function at 3, 6, 12 months after operation, the classification of joint function at the last follow-up, the axillary nerve injury and other complications were compared. The shoulder joint function of MIPPO group was evaluated after fracture healing. Results All the 78 patients were follow-up for (17.3±2.8) months. The incision length, fracture healing time and intraoperative bleeding in MIPPO group were significantly shorter than those in ORIF group. The UCLA scores of shoulder joint in MIPPO group were 29.04±1.63 and 30.95±1.69 at 3 and 6 months after operation, which were higher than those in ORIF group 22.11±2.33 and 25.96±2.01. The shoulder function Constant-Murley scores of MIPPO group were 55.64±2.83 and 75.01±5.71 at 3 and 6 months after operation, which were higher than those of ORIF group 45.03±6.32 and 64.61±6.77. However, there was no significant difference between the two groups in the shoulder function Constant-Murley score and the last shoulder function grade at 12 months after operation. After fracture healing, the shoulder function of MIPPO group was further evaluated: the average flexion angle was 170.5 ° (ranged, 161° to 180°), the average external rotation angle was 71° (ranged, 63.5° to 83.5°), the average internal rotation angle was 73.6 ° (ranged, 68° to 79°) and the recovery of mobility was good. The complication rate of MIPPO group was 5.56%, which was better than that of ORIF group 11.90% (P<0.05). Conclusion Both MIPPO and ORIF can treat proximal humerus fractures of Neer type Ⅲ and Ⅳ. The former is superior to the latter in incision length, bleeding volume, fracture healing time, shoulder joint function recovery at 3 and 6 months after operation, complications and other aspects, which is worth clinical promotion. Key words: Humeral fractures; Fracture fixation,internal; Axillary nerve injury; Minimal invasive