Rethinking Conservative Treatment of Humeral Diaphyseal Fractures in Elderly Patients With Dementia

Objectives: To assess outcomes and complications of conservatively managed humeral diaphyseal fractures in elderly patients, with an emphasis on the subgroup diagnosed with dementia. Design: Retrospective. Setting: Upper extremity surgery unit at an academic Level I trauma center. Patients/Participants: Consecutive patients 65 years of age and older who were managed conservatively for humeral diaphyseal fractures between 2007 and 2015. Intervention: Conservatively managed humeral diaphyseal fractures. Main Outcome Measurements: Complications and radiographic outcomes. Results: One-hundred twenty-four patients who were conservatively managed for humeral diaphyseal fractures were identified. Their mean age was 77 (65–92) years, 36 (30%) of them were male and 88 (70%) were female. Fifty-seven (46%) patients experienced complications associated with their treatment, and 33 (27%) patients were eventually treated surgically. Seventeen (14%) patients were diagnosed with dementia. This subgroup had 64% fracture-related complications, and all of them were operated (P-value
Source: Journal of Orthopaedic Trauma - Category: Orthopaedics Tags: Original Article Source Type: research