From: The impact of surgeon and patient treatment preferences in an orthopaedic trauma surgery trial
Inclusion criteria | |
Adults (aged 16 years or above) presenting within 3 weeks of their injury with a radiologically confirmed displaced fracture of the humerus involving the surgical neck | |
This should include all 2-part surgical-neck fractures; 3-part (including surgical neck) and 4-part fractures of proximal humerus (Neer classification). It may also include displaced surgical-neck fractures that do not meet the exact displacement criteria of the Neer classification (1 cm or/and 45° angulation of displaced parts) where this reflects an individual surgeon’s equipoise (e.g. whether or not the surgical-neck fracture should be treated surgically) | |
Exclusion criteria | Number of patients excludeda |
1. Associated dislocation of the injured shoulder joint | 101 |
2. Open fracture | 2 |
3. Mentally incompetent patient: unable to understand trial procedure or instructions for rehabilitation; significant mental impairment that would preclude compliance with rehabilitation and treatment advice | 116 |
4. Co-morbidities precluding surgery/anaesthesia | 179 |
5. A clear indication for surgery such as severe soft-tissue compromise requiring surgery/emergency treatment (nerve injury/dysfunction) | 87 |
6. Multiple injuries: same limb fractures; other upper limb fractures | 72 |
7. Pathological fractures (other than osteoporotic) | 5 |
8. Terminal illness | 5 |
9. Participant not resident in trauma-centre catchment area | 28 |