Why was this study done?
osteoporotic, fractures
Proximal humerus fractures (PHFs) are among the most common fractures in older adults. The risks for suffering a PHF increase with age, especially after the age of 60 years.Nonoperative treatment of non-displaced PHF is uniformly approved, but the treatment of displaced 3- and 4-part PHF remains controversial. Recently, several studies have reported a significant increase in the surgical treatment of the PHF, mainly due to the introduction of locking plates (LPs) suitable for treating osteoporotic bone.In this study, we investigated whether surgery with an LP or hemiarthroplasty (HA) is superior to nonoperative treatment with a collar-cuff and early physiotherapy in the treatment of 3- or 4-part PHF involving the surgical neck.