Upper Arm Bone Fractures (Proximal Humerus Fractures): Fixation With a Plate Animation

Upper Arm Bone Fractures (Proximal Humerus Fractures): Fixation With a Plate Animation

This surgical animation will demonstrate the repair of an upper arm bone fracture using a plate and screws on a left shoulder. When treating an upper arm bone fracture with a plate and screws, the goal is to align the bones and fix them in place so they can heal over the next few weeks to months.

Once the surgeon has put the bony pieces back together, also called reducing the fracture, they will apply the appropriately sized plate to the outside of the upper arm bone. Once the plate is positioned correctly, the surgeon will start to secure the plate to bone. Here, a drill guide is placed into a hole on the plate, and a drill with laser lines is introduced through the guide. These lines have corresponding numbers that allow the surgeon to measure what length of screw should be used.

Once the drill hole is prepared, the surgeon places the appropriately sized screw to help hold the plate in place. The surgeon will then shift their focus to the ball of the shoulder joint, the humeral head. In this part of the plate, an alignment guide is attached to help the surgeon place the screws at a proper angle depending on the fracture pattern. The surgeon will then repeat the steps, drill, measure, and place screws. The alignment guide is then removed.

The rest of the remaining holes further down on the plate are then filled. Once the plate is secure, the surgeon will use an intraoperative x-ray to confirm the positioning of the plate and screws. They will look at the ball of the shoulder joint and verify the screws have not penetrated through the cartilage of the shoulder joint on the opposite side. Further down the arm, they look to see that the tip of the screws have not exited the bone too far.

Once the procedure is complete, the surgeon will then close the soft tissue and skin.