REVIEW ARTICLE
Distal Humeral Fractures-Current Concepts
James C. Beazley, Njalalle Baraza*, Robert Jordan, Chetan S. Modi
Article Information
Identifiers and Pagination:
Year: 2017Volume: 11
Issue: Suppl-8, M3
First Page: 1353
Last Page: 1363
Publisher ID: TOORTHJ-11-1353
DOI: 10.2174/1874325001711011353
Article History:
Received Date: 25/03/2017Revision Received Date: 17/07/2017
Acceptance Date: 18/07/2017
Electronic publication date: 30/11/2017
Collection year: 2017

open-access license: This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International Public License (CC-BY 4.0), a copy of which is available at: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/legalcode. This license permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
Abstract
Background:
Distal humerus fractures constitute 2% of all fractures in the adult population. Although historically, these injuries have been treated non-operatively, advances in implant design and surgical technique have led to improved outcomes following operative fixation.
Methods:
A literature search was performed and the authors’ personal experiences are reported.
Results:
This review has discussed the anatomy, classifications, treatment options and surgical techniques in relation to the management of distal humeral fractures. In addition, we have discussed controversial areas including the choice of surgical approach, plate orientation, transposition of the ulnar nerve and the role of elbow arthroplasty.
Conclusion:
Distal humeral fractures are complex injuries that require a careful planned approach, when considering surgical fixation, to restore anatomy and achieve good functional outcomes.