Abstract
To clarify the usefulness of our method of treatment consisting of either manual or open reduction of a dislocation without O. R. I. F. of fractures followed by early physiotherapy, clinical cases were analyzed. The subjects were eleven shoulders of eleven cases (eight men, three women)treated in the past twelve years, whose ages ranged from 20 to 53 y. o.. Their clinical findings, treatment course and functional results were investigated. The cause of their injuries was a traffic accident for eight cases, a fall for two and an epileptic cnvulsion for one. They were one 1-p. fx., six 2-p. fx. and four 3-p. fx. according to Neer's classification. In seven cases, diagnosis was delayed, ranging from 3 to 23 days. Reduction was obtained by persistent traction in one case, by manual traction in two and by an operation in eight. After the reduction, all but one fragment had not been displaced over 10mm. In one of the 10 cases followed over 1 year, the collapse of the humeral head caused by aseptic necrosis developed. The other cases gained excellent recovery of their joint function. In conclusion, the proposed method of treatment is advantageous in that it produces stable satisfactory results without further destroying the gliding mechanism and disturbing the blood supply, unless the fractured humeral head is completely displaced.
