Metastatic involvement of the humerus: a retrospective study of 51 cases.

The authors performed a retrospective review of 53 patients with 56 completed or impending pathological fractures of the humerus. Sixteen cases were treated with a proximal and one with a distal humeral prosthesis, 38 with an intramedullary device with cement and one with plate fixation. Forty-eight patients with 51 humeral metastases were available to follow-up. No or only occasional pain was observed in 92% of the operated extremities and adequate postoperative function in 90%. No major complications occurred, except one rod migration.