Associated Factors of Radial Nerve Palsy Combined with Humerus Shaft Fracture

Si-Wuk Lee; Chul-Hyun Cho; Ki-Choer Bae

doi:10.12671/jkfs.2014.27.3.185

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Lee, Cho, and Bae: Associated Factors of Radial Nerve Palsy Combined with Humerus Shaft Fracture

Original Article

Journal of the Korean Fracture Society 2014; 27(3): 185-190.

Published online: 16 July 2014

DOI: https://doi.org/10.12671/jkfs.2014.27.3.185

Associated Factors of Radial Nerve Palsy Combined with Humerus Shaft Fracture

Si-Wuk Lee, M.D., Chul-Hyun Cho, M.D., Ph.D., Ki-Choer Bae, M.D.

Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Keimyung University School of Medicine, Daegu, Korea.

Address reprint requests to: Chul-Hyun Cho, M.D., Ph.D. Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Keimyung University School of Medicine, 56 Dalseong-ro, Jung-gu, Daegu 700-712, Korea. Tel: 82-53-250-7729, Fax: 82-53-250-7205, oscho5362@dsmc.or.kr

Received 21 January 2014 Revised 15 April 2014 Accepted 12 May 2014

(open-access):

This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/) which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to analyze associated factors of primary radial nerve palsy and to evaluate clinical outcome for its treatment in patients with humerus shaft fracture.

Materials and Methods

We divided two groups of patients with (17 patients) and without (116 patients) primary radial nerve palsy and analyzed correlation between radial nerve injury and various parameters, including age, sex, cause of injury, AO classification, fracture type, fracture location, and presence of open fracture. We also evaluated configuration of nerve injury, presence of recovery, and recovery time.

Results

The overall prevalence of primary radial nerve palsy after humerus shaft fracture was 12.8% (17 palsies in 133 fractures). Younger age, AO type B, and distal 1/3 fractures showed significantly higher correlation with radial nerve palsy. No significant correlation was observed between radial nerve palsy and other parameters, including sex, cause of injury, fracture type, and presence of open fracture. Thirteen patients (76.5%) underwent early nerve exploration with internal fixation. Intraoperatively, all patients had continuity of radial nerve except one patient with segmental loss. At the final follow-up, 16 patients (94.1%) with radial nerve palsy had made a complete recovery. The mean time to complete recovery was 6.7 months.

Conclusion

Primary radial nerve palsy after humerus shaft fracture was more common in young age, AO type B, distal 1/3 fractures. Early surgical exploration can be recommended to confirm the condition of the radial nerve if the fracture should be fixed.

Keywords: Humerus, Shaft, Fracture, Radial nerve, Palsy

Figures and Tables

Table 1

Demographic Data

Values are presented as mean±standard deviation or number.

^*Statistically significant.

Table 2

Characteristics of Fractures

^*Statistically significant.

Notes

Financial support: None.

Conflict of interest: None.

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