[Functional and sonographic shoulder assessment after Seidel nailing: a retrospective study of 29 cases].

PURPOSE OF THE STUDY: Centromedullary nailing with a Seidel nail is a validated treatment for humeral shaft fractures which some teams have abandoned due to the injury caused to the rotator muscles. The purpose of this study is to assess shoulder function (Constant and DASH) after nailing procedures and to analyze sonographic findings.

MATERIAL AND

METHODS

Twenty-nine patients who underwent Seidel nailing between 1996 and 2002 were reviewed by an independent operator at 36 months follow-up on average (range 11-84 months). The sex-ratio was 1.64. Mean age at surgery was 41.5 years (range 17-81 years). The dominant side was involved in 17 cases. Fracture was caused by a traffic accident in 13 cases, a fall in 12, and a blunt injury in 4. The fracture was situated in the mid third of the shaft in 19 cases, the upper third in 3, the mid and lower third in 3 and mid and upper third in 3. Mean delay before surgery was 2.4 days. Initial complications were medioulnar palsy (n=1), complete brachial palsy (n=1), partial brachial palsy (n=1). There was one open Cauchoix I fracture.

RESULTS

Bone healing was achieved in 27/29 patients at 3.5 months on average. Revision was required in nine patients. The Constant score was 69.1 (86.9% contralateral). The weighted Constant score was 81.7 and the DASH was 25. The Constant score was significantly better in patients aged less than 50 years and with transverse fractures. Sub-acromial space narrowing was observed in six patients at follow-up and only 9/28 sonographic examinations (32%) were normal; most shoulders presented transient healing lesions.

DISCUSSION: This series was comparable with others regarding patient satisfaction, bone healing and complications, but was less satisfactory for the Constant score and time to healing. We have found that using a subjective function score (DASH) with an objective score (Constant) enables a better assessment of shoulder function. Like Gaullier, we consider that after cuff healing, anterograde nailing does not compromise shoulder function despite the injuries observed sonographically.