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Non-united proximal humeral fracture

Case contributed by Mauricio Macagnan
Diagnosis certain

Presentation

Pain in the shoulder with radiance to the arm. Trauma a few years ago.

Patient Data

Age: 80 years
Gender: Female

Non-united displaced fracture through the anatomical neck. Normal glenohumeral alignment. 

Complete fracture of the anatomical neck of the humeral head with displaced bone fragments, and rotation and bone resorption. Presence of fluid between the bone fragments, with joint effusion and significant synovial thickening (synovitis).

Case Discussion

Fractures of proximal humerus are relatively frequent in the elderly where the fall of the height itself is the main mechanism of trauma.

In this case, the patient complained of shoulder pain with radiation to the arm, which led the physician to suspect a shoulder tendon injury, but instead there is a non-united fracture of the proximal humerus.

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