Treatment of Extra-Articular Distal Humerus Fractures: Current Concepts and Systematic Review

Acute extra-articular distal humerus fractures (DHFs) continue to pose a treatment challenge for many orthopedic surgeons. The aim of this study was to provide a comprehensive review of treatment principles, while reporting union rates, time to union, complication rates, and outcome measures following operative and non-operative management. A systematic review was conducted utilizing the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines. Studies reporting clinical or functional outcomes following treatment for acute DHFs in patients > 17 years of age with a mean follow-up of 6 months or greater were included. Methodological Index for Non-Randomized Studies (MINORS) criteria was used to assess risk of bias. A total of twenty articles were included with 754 fractures. The union rates after operative management were 97