Outcomes and complications of distal humeral hemiarthroplasty for distal humeral fractures – A systematic review

BACKGROUND: Distal humeral hemiarthroplasty has been performed for a variety of indications with the most common being management of distal humeral fractures. This systematic review evaluates the outcomes and complications of distal humeral hemiarthroplasty for this pathology. METHODS: We searched PubMed, EMBASE, and MEDLINE for studies reporting indications and outcomes of patients undergoing distal humeral hemiarthroplasty. Study screening, risk of bias assessment, and data extraction were performed. Summery statistics were provided. RESULTS: We included 11 studies (N = 163) in this review. In all studies, the indication for distal humeral hemiarthroplasty was the presence of an intraarticular, comminuted, unreconstructable fracture. The mean post-operative MEPS, FullDASH, and QuickDASH (SD) scores were 83.6 (6.1) points, 25.4 (10.3), and 15.7 (7.4) points, respectively. The mean post-operative range of motion (SD) was 106° (11°) in the flexion and extension arc and 153° (19°) in the protonation and supination arc. The overall rate of adverse events and complication was 63%. The rate for major complications was 11%. The mean total revision rate was 4% (0% to 15) and total re-operation rate was 29% (0% to 88%). CONCLUSION: Distal humeral hemiarthroplasty is a suitable option for unreconstructable distal humeral fractures and offers good functional outcomes with acceptable complication rates.