Angle-stable polyaxial locked plating with and withoutpolymethylmethacrylate cement augmentation forproximal humeral fractures in elderly

Abstract

Objectives: This study aims to evaluate the outcomes of proximalhumeral fracture (PHF) fixation with a polyaxial locking plate(PLP) osteosynthesis alone versus cement-augmented PLP(PLP-CA) in an elderly population. Patients and methods: Between May 2015 and June 2018, atotal of 101 patients (17 males, 84 females; mean age: 74.5±8.1years; range, 60 to 94 years) aged ≥60 years with an acutePHF who underwent osteosynthesis with PLP or PLP-CAwere retrospectively analyzed. The patients were divided intotwo groups as the PLP (n=53) and PLP-CA (n=48). Clinicaloutcomes, Constant-Murley Scores (CMS), Disabilities of theArm, Shoulder and Hand (DASH) scores, and Short Form-12(SF-12) scores were compared between the groups. Results: The overall mean follow-up was 28.1±11.1 months.No clinically relevant differences in the mean duration ofsurgery, mean intraoperative X-ray image intensifier time orpostoperative in-hospital stay were found between the groups.A higher complication rate was observed in the PLP group(20.8% in PLP vs. 10.4% in PLP-CA; p