• Abhishek Ganta, Sara Solasz, Jack Drake, Connor Littlefield, Sanjit Konda, and Kenneth Egol.
• Division of Orthopedic Trauma Surgery, Department of Orthopedic Surgery, NYU Langone Health, NYU Langone Orthopedic Hospital, 301 East 17th Street, New York, NY, 10003, USA. Abhishek.Ganta@nyulangone.org.
• Arch Orthop Trauma Surg. 2023 Jul 1; 143 (7): 409540984095-4098.

BackgroundThe purpose of this study is to determine the effects of energy mechanism on outcomes following repair of proximal humerus fractures (PHF) in the middle aged and geriatric population.MethodsTwo hundred sixty-nine patients who presented to our academic medical center between 2006 and 2020, and underwent operative treatment of a proximal humerus fracture were prospectively enrolled in an IRB-approved database. Patients above 55 were divided into high energy (motor vehicle accident, pedestrian struck, or fall > 2 stairs) or low energy mechanisms (fall from standing or < 2 stairs). Of 97 patients with complete documentation and follow-up, 72 were included in the low velocity (LV) group and 25 were included in the high velocity (HV) group. Demographic information, primary injury details, healing and time to union, range of motion (ROM), complications, and need for reoperation were assessed at initial presentation and subsequent follow-up appointments.ResultsMean age, BMI, and gender were significantly different between the LV and HV cohorts (p = 0.01, 0.04, 0.01). OTA/AO fracture patterns were similar between the groups. (p = 0.14). Bony healing and complications occurred with similar frequency between groups (p = 1.00, 0.062). The most common complications in the LV and HV groups included avascular necrosis (9.7%, 16.0%), and screw penetration (4.2%, 12.0%), while the HV group also had rotator cuff issues including weakness and tendonitis (12.0%). There was no significant difference in need for reoperation between cohorts (p = 0.45). Time to healing, shoulder ROM, and DASH scores did not differ between each group.ConclusionsEnergy and mechanism demonstrates similar outcomes in operatively treated proximal humerus fractures. These factors should not play a role in decisions for surgery in these patients and can help guide patient expectations.© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.

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