The role of short Telegraph nail in the treatment of fractures of the upper end of the humerus: about 19 cases

• Published in: The Pan African medical journal Vol. 24; p. 36
• Main Authors: Karabila, Mohamed Amine, Hmouri, Ismail, Mhamdi, Younes, Azouz, Mohamed, Madani, Tarik, Kharmaz, Mohamed, Ouadaghiri, Mohamed, Lamrani, Moulay Omar, Bardouni, Ahmed, Lahlou, Abdou, Mahfoud, Mustapha, Berrada, Mohamed Saleh, Montbarbon, Éric, Beaudouin, Emmanuel
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: French
• Published: Uganda 2016
• Subjects: Bone Nails; Female; Fracture Fixation, Internal - instrumentation; Fracture Fixation, Internal - methods; Humans; Humeral Fractures - surgery; Male; Middle Aged; Prospective Studies; Recovery of Function; Reproducibility of Results; Shoulder Joint - physiopathology; Treatment Outcome; humerus; Nail; fracture
• DOI: 10.11604/pamj.2016.24.36.8709
• EISSN: 1937-8688

The fracture of the upper end of the humerus is the third most frequent fracture in the elderly and its distribution is bimodal, preferentially affecting osteoporotic elderly patients after low energy trauma or, more rarely, young subjects as a consequence of severe kinetic mechanism The treatment of complex fractures of the proximal humerus is the subject of much controversy. Telegraph nail is a highly effective therapeutic approach for displaced fractures of the upper end of the humerus. Surgical procedure is easy but with a learning curve; it allows to start rehabilitation protocol immediately after surgery. It is an antegrade nailing material, 15 cm long, with full proximal and distal locking. Proximal locking is secured by 4 cancellous screws, long thread, stable in the nail ensuring perfect solidity of the assembly while the distal locking screw is secured to deltoid tuberosity in the avascular zone and where there is no neural pathway. This study reports 19 case of patients with fractures of the humerus treated with short Telegraph nail between 2013 and 2015. It aims to investigate radio-clinical results and to assess the impact of this technique on shoulder function. Telegraph nail that has been used for more than 12 years or so met and continues to meet with strong success. It allows to trat very effectively simple fractures type 2 and 3, but also 4-fragment valgus impacted fractures Osteosynthesis by Telegraph nail is an efficient, rapid and reproducible surgical treatment option of the fractures of the upper end of the humerus even in case of complex fractures and allows for a more rapid return of shoulder mobility.