Treatment of Distal Humerus Fractures in Adults: A Historical Perspective

Nonsurgical treatment was the mainstay of management of distal humerus fractures for centuries and nonunions and malunions were common. The 19th century featured the recognition of distinct injury patterns. With advances in radiology, anesthesia, antisepsis, and hardware technology, surgical treatment is now generally preferred, yet loss of elbow joint mobility can still be a vexing problem.