Nonoperative Treatment of Proximal Humerus Fractures: A Systematic Review

BACKGROUND: Proximal humerus fractures are common in the setting of osteopenia and osteoporosis and can often be treated nonoperatively. There are few studies that evaluate the long-term outcomes of nonoperative treatment of these fractures. We performed a systematic review of the literature to examine the results of nonoperative treatment of proximal humerus fractures. METHODS: The PubMed search engine and EMBASE database were used. Inclusion criteria were: 1) proximal humerus fractures resulting from trauma; 2) age older than 18 years; 3) more than 15 patients in the study; 4) greater than 1 year follow-up; 5) at least one relevant functional outcome score; and 6) a quality outcome score of at least a 5 of 10 according to previously published scoring system. RESULTS: We identified 12 studies that included 650 patients with a mean age of 65.0 years (range, 51-75 years) and a mean follow-up of 45.7 months (range, 12-120 months). There were 317 one-part fractures, 165 two-part fractures, 137 three-part fractures, and 31 four-part fractures. The rate of radiographic union was 98% and the complication rate 13%. The average range of motion reported in five studies was 139° forward flexion, 48° external rotation, and 52° internal rotation. The average Constant score reported in six studies was 74 (range, 55-81). Varus malunion was the most common complication reported, whereas avascular necrosis was uncommon (13 cases). CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that our systematic review of the literature on the nonoperative treatment of proximal humerus fractures demonstrates high rates of radiographic healing, good functional outcomes, and a modest complication rate.