Executive Editor: Chris Colton

Authors: Pol Rommens, Peter Trafton

Humeral shaft

back to skeleton

Diagnosis Indication Preparation Approach Reduction & Fixation Aftercare

Shortcuts

All Preparations

All Approaches

All Reductions & Fixations

Glossary

The revised AO/OTA classification (2018) is available here

Simple

fractures

Wedge

fractures

12-B1 Spiral wedge

More info proceed

12-B2 Bending wedge

More info proceed

12-B3 Fragmented wedge

More info proceed

Complex

fractures

12-C1 Spiral

More info proceed

12-C2 Segmental

More info proceed

12-C3 Irregular

More info proceed

Special considerations

Principles of management of open fractures

Complications
Infection
Compartment syndrome

v1.0 2006-09-14

Note

Examine upper arm for

Swelling
Ecchymosis
Deformity
Open wound
Neurologic or vascular deficit (esp. radial nerve)

An adjacent wound implies an open fracture, which needs urgent surgical debridement.

Evidence summary

Literature overview for humeral shaft fractures

Decision support

OTD Evidence reports:
An overview of humeral-shaft related studies

Online AO Resources

AO/OTA Classification (PDF)

Authors' added material

Bibliography

Revised AO/OTA Fracture and Dislocation Classification (2018)

AO Principles

Soft-tissue injury

AO philosophy and principles

Humeral shaft

Search

Shortcuts

Glossary

The revised AO/OTA classification (2018) is available here

Simple

Wedge

Complex

Special considerations

Note

Evidence summary

Decision support

Online AO Resources

Authors' added material

AO Principles