Shoulder & Elbow Fracture Surgery

Overview

Many shoulder and elbow fractures heal well with a sling or splint and early motion. Surgery is recommended when the bones are significantly out of place, when the fracture involves the joint surface, or when the joint is unstable.

Fracture surgery usually means open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF): the pieces of bone are put back in position and held with plates, screws, wires or rods. When a fracture is too broken to fix reliably, particularly in older adults, joint replacement can be the better option, such as reverse shoulder replacement for complex proximal humerus fractures, radial head replacement, or total elbow replacement for some distal humerus fractures.

Dr. Joshi treats fractures of the collarbone, top of the arm bone (proximal humerus), shoulder blade, lower end of the arm bone (distal humerus), tip of the elbow (olecranon) and radial head, as well as fractures that have healed poorly or failed to heal.

Benefits

• Restores alignment and joint surfaces
• Allows earlier motion than prolonged immobilization
• Replacement options when fixation is unreliable
• Treatment of fractures that did not heal properly

Who is a Candidate?

Fracture Surgery may be appropriate for patients who meet certain criteria. Ideal candidates include:

• Displaced or unstable shoulder and elbow fractures
• Fractures involving the joint surface
• Fracture-dislocations
• Nonunions and malunions

Recovery & Rehabilitation

Most fractures heal in about three months. Gentle motion often begins within the first few weeks to limit stiffness, followed by strengthening once the bone has healed. Full recovery can take six months to a year.