Complications of humeral head replacement for proximal humeral fractures.

Humeral head replacement has been widely used for the treatment of complex proximal humeral fractures. The procedure is associated with a high rate of patient satisfaction as well as reliable relief of pain. The functional outcomes, however, have been variable. Reported complications include infection, neurologic injury, intraoperative fracture, instability, tuberosity malunion and nonunion, rotator cuff tear, heterotopic ossification, glenoid erosion, and stiffness. When technical factors such as tuberosity malunion or component malpositioning are considered as postoperative complications, the incidence of complications is relatively high. This high rate of complications, in turn, may be related to the wide range of reported functional outcomes.