Acta orthopaedica Scandinavica
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Fifty-nine patients with immediate and 16 with secondary radial nerve palsy complicating a fracture of the shaft of the humerus were reviewed. According to the preferences of the surgeon in charge, the palsy was treated either with early exploration of the radial nerve and internal fixation of the fracture or with initial expectance. Of the latter, 12 were later explored. ⋯ Among those treated with initial expectance, there were 5/32 nonrecoveries. For secondary palsy, these figures were 2/10 and 0/6, respectively. No support emerged for routine early exploration.