[Conservative treatment of subcapital humerus fractures. A comparative study of the classical Desault bandage and the new Gilchrist bandage].

In a randomized prospective comparative study, we treated 28 patients with a fresh fracture of the proximal humerus alternating with a classical Desault-bandage or with the new Gilchrist-bandage. The two different bandages had no influence on the fracture healing or the functional end results. The Gilchrist-bandage was clearly superior to the Desault-bandage in a subjective and objective appreciation: the patients had less complaints in applying the bandage, had less skin irritations and felt less pain during the whole immobilisation period.