Purpose: To investigate the etiologic factors related to refractures of the upper extremity in children. Patients and Methods: Eighteen refractures were divided into three groups according to the location of the initial fractures. They were analyzed in terms of the type of refractures, fracture patterns, and the existence of an underlying deformity. Results: Of nine supracondylar fractures of the humerus, two involved refractures at the supracondylar region, and the other seven involved the lateral condyle. Underlying cubitus varus was present in six cases. Of three lateral condylar fractures of the humerus, one had a refracture at the supracondylar region, and two cases involved the lateral condyle. One had an underlying cubitus varus. All but one case in the humeral fractures group were late refractures, and were treated with surgery. Of six repeat forearm fractures, five were early type and occurred at the original site within nine weeks, four at the diaphysis of both bones of the forearm, and one at the diaphysis of the ulna. All cases in the forearm fractures group, save one, had volar angulation before the refracture, and were treated conservatively. Conclusion: In the humerus, the underlying cubitus varus was the most important predisposing factor for refractures and lateral condyle fractures were common. In the forearm, volar angulation of the diaphysis was related to refractures, and complete and circular consolidation of the primary fracture of the forearm was thought to be important in prevention.
Ulna Fractures/epidemiology ; Shoulder Fractures/*epidemiology ; Retrospective Studies ; Recurrence ; Radius Fractures/epidemiology ; Male ; Humeral Fractures/epidemiology ; Humans ; Follow-Up Studies ; Female ; Child, Preschool ; Child

Adult ; Arthritis, Rheumatoid ; epidemiology ; pathology ; surgery ; Female ; Humans ; Joint Diseases ; diagnosis ; pathology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Shoulder Dislocation ; epidemiology ; pathology ; surgery ; Shoulder Fractures ; epidemiology ; pathology ; surgery ; Shoulder Joint ; pathology ; surgery ; Shoulder Pain ; epidemiology ; pathology ; surgery

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether physicians' practice was adequate for the diagnosis and treatment of osteoporosis in patients with proximal humeral fracture over the age of 50 years, which is one of major osteoporotic fractures. METHODS: A retrospective nation-wide cohort study was performed using data collected in 2010 by the Korean Health Insurance Review Agency. The incidences of fractures around the hip, spine, and proximal humerus in patients more than 50 years of age, the frequencies of diagnostic bone density scan for osteoporosis, and the prescription for the osteoporosis medication were analyzed and compared. RESULTS: A search of database identified 48,351 hip fractures, 141,208 spine fractures, and 11,609 proximal humeral fractures in patients more than 50 years of age in 2010. Among these patients, 12,097 (25.0%) of hip fractures, 41,962 (29.7%) of spine fractures, and 1,458 (12.6%) of proximal humeral fractures underwent diagnostic bone density scan (p < 0.001); 4,773 (9.9%) of hip fractures, 27,261 (19.3%) of spine fractures, and 639 (5.5%) of proximal humeral fractures were managed with at least one medication approved for the treatment of osteoporosis (p < 0.001). Furthermore, 1,217 (2.5%) of hip fractures, 7,271 (5.2%) of spine fractures, and 188 (1.6%) of proximal humeral fractures received diagnostic bone density scans as well as osteoporosis medications (p < 0.001). Younger patients (50–69 years of age) were less likely to be evaluated and managed for osteoporosis relative to older patients (≥ 70 years of age) (p < 0.001); and men were less likely to be evaluated and managed for osteoporosis relative to women (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Current physicians' practice pattern may be inadequate for the diagnosis and treatment of osteoporosis in patients of proximal humeral fractures over the age of 50 years. Additional study and educational programs are necessary to improve this care gap, beginning with physicians who are responsible for the fracture treatment and shoulder diseases.
Aged ; Bone Density ; Bone Density Conservation Agents/therapeutic use ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; *Osteoporosis/complications/diagnosis/drug therapy/epidemiology ; Retrospective Studies ; Shoulder Fractures/*complications/*epidemiology

To evaluate the efficacy of operative and non-operative treatment for three- or four-part proximal humeral fractures in elderly patients by meta-analysis.The literature search was performed in Cochrance Library, Medline, Embase, SinoMed, CNKI, Wanfang data and CQVIP databases for operative and non-operative treatment of three- or four-part proximal humeral fractures in elderly patients, and searches of conference proceedings were also conducted. The data were extracted and a meta-analysis was performed using RevMan 5.3. The outcome measures included Constants score, pain and incidence rates of AVN, reoperation, osteoarthritis, nonunion.Six randomized controlled trials involving 264 patients were included in the meta-analysis. The differences of Constant scores (=0.47, 95%:-4.35-5.28,=0.85), incidence of ANV (=0.56, 95%:0.25-1.24,=0.15), incidence of osteoarthritis (=0.56, 95%:0.19-1.68,=0.30), incidence of nonunion (=0.43, 95%:0.13-1.43,=0.17) between operative group and non-operative group were not statistically significant. Operative treatment was better in pain score (=1.01, 95%:0.12-1.19,=0.03) and had statistically significant higher reoperative rate (=3.97, 95%:1.45-10.92,=0.007).No evidence support that there is difference in Constant score and incidence rate of ANV, osteoarthritis, nonunion between operative and non-operative treatment for three- or four-part proximal humeral fractures in elderly patients. More high quality randomized controlled trials are required to determine which treatment is more efficient.
Aged ; Comparative Effectiveness Research ; Fracture Healing ; Fractures, Multiple ; complications ; therapy ; Fractures, Ununited ; epidemiology ; Humans ; Humerus ; injuries ; surgery ; Orthopedic Procedures ; adverse effects ; methods ; statistics & numerical data ; Osteoarthritis ; epidemiology ; Osteonecrosis ; epidemiology ; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic ; Reoperation ; statistics & numerical data ; Shoulder Fractures ; complications ; therapy ; Treatment Outcome