The humerus is the single bone of the upper arm, articulating with the glenoid of the scapula at the ball-and-socket shoulder joint and with the radius and ulna at the hinge elbow joint, bridging shoulder function to forearm mechanics.
| Articulations |
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| Landmarks |
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| Ossification | Primary diaphyseal centre at 8 weeks fetal. Multiple secondary centres (CRITOE sequence) fusing from ages 5 through 16, important to distinguish from fractures in children on radiographs. |
Surgical neck fractures are the most common in elderly osteoporotic patients from a FOOSH. The radial nerve in the radial groove is injured in 10 percent of mid-shaft fractures producing wrist drop. Supracondylar fractures in children risk anterior interosseous nerve and brachial artery injury. AVN of the humeral head complicates four-part fractures where the blood supply via the anterior circumflex humeral artery is disrupted at the anatomical neck. HAGL lesions (humeral avulsion of glenohumeral ligaments) can mimic Bankart lesions on shoulder MRI.
Common in older adults after a fall onto an outstretched hand, usually through the surgical neck; most are treated in a sling.
Mid-shaft fractures can injure the radial nerve in the spiral groove, producing wrist drop.
The most common elbow fracture in children, at risk of brachial artery and median or anterior interosseous nerve injury.
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