Proximal Humeral Fracture with Epiphyseal Plate Injury

Hwang, Sung Kwan; Oh, Jin Rok; Rah, Jung Ho; Kim, Ki Ho

Abstract

Proximal humerus fracture with epiphyseal plate injury does not cause the growth disturbances and deformity of humerus in comparison with other fracture of epjphyseal plate. The explanation about this phenomenon is that the fracture occurs microscopically in maturing Bone near provisional calcifying zone, another explanation is that the epiphyseal plate in proximal humerus greatly contribute the longitudinal growth of humerus and has trimendous remodelling potential. In this study, we experienced the 25 cases of proximal humeral epiphyseal injury from January, 1991 to June, 1997 We analyzed the growth disturbance and deformity of the proximal humeral epiphyseal plate in regard to age, fracture type, treatment method of the 15 cases with 3 years follow-up among the 25 cases. This fracture is most common in the age of 13 to 16, 11 cases among total 15 cases(75 percent). Most common fracture type is type II by Salter-Harris classification, 14 cases among total 15 cases, 3 cases is type IV by Neer-Horowitz classification, where, manual reduction was impossible because of interposition with biceps tendon between fracture fragments. There was no impairment of motion, growth distrubance and deformity in all cases. We concluded there is no direct correlation with patient age, the degree of fracture, displacement, treatment method in view of gorwth disurbance and deformity.