Mid-shaft Humerus Fracture Treatment
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Trauma Surgeons at Victorian Bone and Joint Specialists will assess your injury and organise x-rays and scans if required. If surgery is needed, our specialists will help guide you through the process as a successful outcome will require recovery and rehabilitation often with physiotherapists close to your home location in Melbourne.
A simple crack in the bone, while painful, will normally heal well. Surgeons at Victorian Bone and Joint Specialists may organise for a specialist brace to be fitted for you (Sarmiento Brace). Follow up x-rays will be required.
If the broken bone has moved too much or if the fracture is unstable then surgery to lock the bone back in place may be the best option. Your surgeon at Bone and Joint will discuss this with you.
Normal humerus
Fractured mid-shaft humerus
Fixed with surgery
Fractured humerus
Surgery to hold the bone in place
Once fixed, you can begin to gently move the shoulder under the instruction of your surgeon. Placing weight through the arm will depend on the type of fracture you have and how it has been fixed.
There are risks with surgery. These include infection, delayed healing or no healing of the bone. Sometime surgery to remove screws, nail or plate is required once the bone has healed. Damage to nerve or blood vessels may have occurred as a result of the injury or when fixing the fracture. The radial nerve is at risk with this fracture. This nerve controls some movements of the hand. This nerve will be checked after your injury, before surgery and after surgery.
Wound review
This will occur at the rooms at 2 weeks.
Driving
You cannot drive until you have had your first review appointment with the team. They will give you an indication then when you are likely to be able to drive again.
Returning to work
This depends on the type of surgery to the shoulder you have had and the type of work you do. Most surgeries will need 2-6 weeks off work, some will require longer, especially if you have a manual job.
When to contact us
If you have any of these problems, please call our rooms on 03 5752 5020
Fever
Heavy bleeding or ooze from the wound
Increased swelling and redness around the surgery site
Pain in the calf muscles or difficulty breathing
