Humeral head replacement in acute proximal humerus fractures

Complex proximal humerus fractures with an avascular head fragment and unreconstructable fracture types represent indications for humeral head replacement. Special prosthetic designs allow modular anatomical restoration of the centre of rotation and alignment and stable fixation of the tuberosities. These play a key role with respect to the functional outcome and are often prone to complete or partial osteolysis with secondary rotator cuff deficiency. Because the operational procedure is technically demanding, attention must be paid to correct implantation. The functional results which can be expected are reliable with a moderate Constant score of 50 to 60 points and a low pain level. In elderly patients with poor bone quality and an associated increased tuberosity-related complication rate, a primary inverse prosthetic design has to be considered as a reasonable alternative. The overall revision rate is approximately 11 %.