What Is the Distal Humerus?

The humerus is the thickest bone of the upper limbs. The upper end forms the shoulder joint with the scapula, and the lower end forms the elbow joint with the radius and ulna.

The humerus is the thickest bone of the upper limbs. The upper end forms the shoulder joint with the scapula, and the lower end forms the elbow joint with the radius and ulna.

Chinese name

Humerus

Foreign name

humerus

Pinyin

gngg

nickname

Upper arm bone

Location

Upper arm

Types of

Long bone

Pinyin

Gong Gu

Humerus anatomy

The upper end of the humerus is composed of the humeral head, humeral neck, large nodules, and small nodules. The spherical humeral head is related to the glenoid-related segment of the scapula. The annular shallow groove around the humeral head separates the thinner part between the humeral head and the large and small nodules, which is called the humerus anatomical neck. The junction of the head, neck, and humerus is large and small nodules (tuberculous), which provide attachment points and levers for some scapular humerus muscles. The large tuberosity is located on the outside of the humerus, while the small tuberosity is located in front of the humerus. The nodular sulcus (biceps sulcus) separates large and small nodules. The humeral surgical neck is a slightly thinner distal part of the large and small nodules. The large and small nodules line from the two nodules, and the lateral side is connected with the internodal groove. The surgical neck is a common fracture site of the humerus.

Humerus characteristics and auxiliary structures

The humerus body has two salient features:

1. The deltoid trochanter, located on the outer side, is the attachment point of the deltoid muscle; the oblique radial nerve groove is located on the back, and the radial nerve and deep brachial artery pass. The deep brachial artery first passes between the medial and long head of the triceps, and then the lateral head of the triceps.

2. The lower end of the humerus is wide, with sharp medial and lateral condylar epicondyles forming, and then finally at the distal end of the medial, especially the laterally extending epicondyle, which provides a point of attachment for muscles. The distal end of the humerus, including the epicondyle, the pulley, the humeral head, the humeral fossa, the crown fossa, and the radial fossa, forms the humeral condyle. This palate has two articular surfaces: the lateral small head, which is related to the radial head; the medial block, which is related to the proximal ulna (tackle notch). Above the block, the front is the coronal fossa, the coronal process that accommodates the ulna when the elbow is fully flexed, and the eagle's beak, which is embedded when the elbow is fully extended. There is a shallow radial fossa just above the little head. When the forearm is fully flexed, the leading edge of the radial head meets this fossa.

Humerus- related diseases and treatment

4. Related diseases and treatment

1. The humeral surgical neck fracture is the most common type of fracture of the proximal humerus. It occurs in the area below the line of the large and small nodules and above the pectoralis major muscle stop, and it is an extra-articular fracture. Surgical neck fractures have two distinct age groups: (1) in adolescence, most of them are Satler-harris type iliac injury, which is related to the relatively weak sacral plate and significantly enhanced adolescent mobility; (2) elderly patients, and bone Looseness. For displaced humeral surgical neck fractures, there are various methods from conservative treatment to surgical treatment.

2. Frequent sites: 4 major fractures that can occur to the proximal humerus fracture: joint or anatomical neck; large nodule; small nodule; backbone or surgical neck.

3. Therapeutic methods: Common treatments for humeral surgical neck fractures include closed and splint external fixation, closed and integrated Kirschner wire internal fixation, and open reduction and internal fixation.

However, there is still no ideal treatment for humeral surgical neck fractures, especially humeral surgical neck fractures with osteoporosis. Clinical treatment has not yet formed a fixed treatment model accepted by most scholars. The above methods have their advantages and disadvantages. It is believed that different treatment methods should be adopted according to different fracture types and specific conditions. Plaster and splint external fixation are effective for non-displaced humeral surgical neck fractures, with low cost, and should be preferred; closed reduction and hollow compression screw internal fixation is effective for fresh and unstable humeral surgical neck fractures, with less trauma and fresh The first choice for the treatment of unstable humeral surgical neck fractures; plate internal fixation is the method for displaced comminuted and old humeral surgical neck fractures. Using minimally invasive technology as much as possible, combining the advantages of both Chinese and Western medicine, to develop a minimally invasive, simple, economical, safe and effective treatment plan for different types of humeral surgical neck fractures.

4. Note: As a common injury in external trauma, the humeral surgical neck fracture not only has a very high disability rate, but also easily causes diseases such as combined injuries. Once the treatment is not timely, it will cause permanent damage to the nerve, thereby Causes permanent loss of body function. For those who need to take a supine position during the surgical operation, such as incision reduction and internal fixation of supracondylar fracture of the humerus, debridement of neuromuscular tendon in hand trauma, etc., it is necessary to pay attention to the flat bed. A soft pillow is placed under the knee, and the cotton pad is 20 ° high, and the hip is properly flexed, which can provide conditions for the patient's abdominal muscles to relax and increase comfort.