Comparison of Locking Compression Plate and Dynamic Compression Plate with Cancellous Bone Graft in Treating Non-Union of Humeral Shaft Fractures

Abstract

Background: Treatment of humeral shaft fractures varies from conservative modalities to operative fixation. There are noticeable high non-unions in humeral shaft fractures. Locking compression plates are now preferred over dynamic compression plates in the treatment of such cases along with cancellous bone graft. There was no randomized controlled trial comparing locking versus dynamic compression plates in the treatment of non-union of humeral shaft fractures.

Objective: To compare functional outcome of locking compression plate and dynamic compression plate with cancellous bone graft in treating humeral shaft non-unions.

Methods: It was a randomized controlled trial conducted at the Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Mayo Hospital, Lahore. The sample size of this study was 150 patients with non-union of humeral shaft fractures. These patients were randomly divided into two treatment groups. Group-A underwent locking compression plate (LCP) with cancellous bone graft and Group-B underwent dynamic compression plate (DCP) with cancellous bone graft.

Results: The mean age of the patients was 40.00±12.30 years in Group-A and 38.73±13.06 years in Group-B (p=.542). Functional outcome was significantly better with DCP with cancellous bone graft as compared to LCP with cancellous bone graft in all age groups (p≤.004), genders (p≤.012), educational (p≤.049) and economic status (p≤.003) and BMI (p≤0.049) based on Modified Constant & Murley score.

Conclusion: Function outcome is significantly better with dynamic compression plate as compared to locking compression plate with cancellous bone graft in patients with non-union of fractures of shaft of humerus.