The main objective of this study is to establish the safety as well as the efficacy of local insertion of Iloprost at the fracture site for bone healing of the proximal humeral fracture. The study will have two treatment groups and one control group. All patients will receive the standard of care procedure (reduction and angular stable (PHILOS) plate fixation). The two treatment groups will additionally be treated with two different Iloprost doses. Subjects will be assessed for study eligibility within 24h after admission (screening period). Eligible subjects will be assessed for baseline parameters on day 0. Within 96 hours of the study, subjects will undergo surgery, reduction, and angular stable (PHILOS) plate fixation. During the procedure, a catheter will be inserted in the fracture site of the treatment groups in order to deliver the Iloprost locally in the fracture site. The expected total duration of study participation for each subject comprises 52 weeks, among which 26 weeks include active study participation. At the study end, a telephone call with the subjects will be performed for safety assessment. Recruitment will be completed in approximately 18 months. Follow up visits following the surgical operation shall take place during weeks 3, 6, 12, and 26. The last follow-up will be a phone call during week 52 for the purpose of safety assessment.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
30
Drug administration through a catheter (inserted at the end of the surgical procedure) begins 24±2 hours after surgery: 0.125 ng/kg/min Iloprost for a duration of 24 hours
Drug administration through a catheter (inserted at the end of the surgical procedure) begins 24±2 hours after surgery: 0.25 ng/kg/min Iloprost for a duration of 24 hours
open reduction and internal fixation with an angular stable plate (PHILOS)
Center for Muskuloskeletal Surgery, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin
Berlin, Germany
RECRUITINGToxicity grading in accordance with the National Cancer Institute Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (NCI-CTCAE)
Toxicity grading in accordance with the National Cancer Institute Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (NCI-CTCAE)
Time frame: 12 months
Efficacy analysis using the Tip Apex Distance (TAD) readout
TAD is an indicator of the progress of fracture healing and the probability of potential complications. Thus, it reflects both the safety and efficacy of the investigational treatment. To evaluate the treatment success rate, we will calculate the percentage loss of the summation of TADs of all locking screws. The value will be classified into one of five ranks as measured after 12 weeks of postoperative follow-up compared to the baseline measurement. For the percentage of original Tip Apex Distance, the sum of the Tip Apex Distance of the humeral head screws will be used: Grade 1: 76%-100% preservation of the original distance (representing the best possible result), Grade 2: 51%-75% preservation of the original distance, Grade 3: 26%-50% preservation of the original distance, Grade 4: 0%-25% preservation of the original distance, and Grade 5: if the patient shows signs of screw protrusion (cut out). Grade 1 will be considered as treatment success, grades 2-5 as treatment failure.
Time frame: 12 weeks after surgery
Rate of humeral head necrosis
Osteonecrosis of the humeral head is a common complication in proximal humerus fracture. (1) The occurrence of osteonecrosis varies significantly according to the grading of the fracture in addition to the initial displacement (valgus or varus), Soft tissue handling during surgical fixation can influence the rate of osteonecrosis (2,3). Both a radiologist and an orthopedic surgeon will confirm the diagnosis of osteonecrosis of the humeral head radiologically at 12th-week and 26th-week visits.
Time frame: 12 weeks and 26 weeks after surgery
Humeral head shaft angle
Humeral head shaft angle is used to plan corrective osteotomies and shoulder arthroplasties as well as to evaluate the postoperative x-ray outcome, as a varus displacement of more than 10 degrees in the X-ray view is considered as loss of fixation (4).
Time frame: before discharge, 3 weeks, 6 weeks, 12 weeks and 26 weeks after surgery
Pain assessment using the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS)
The VAS instrument consists of a 10 cm long straight line with defined endpoints, ranging from 'no pain' to 'pain as bad as it could be.' The patient will be asked to mark the respective pain level on the line that is felt subjectively. The distance between 'no pain' and the marked pain level determines the patient's pain. Scores are given in mm, ranging from 0-100 (5).
Time frame: 24 hours after surgery, before discharge, 3 weeks, 6 weeks, 12 weeks and 26 weeks after surgery
Quality-of-Life (QoL) by applying EQ-5D
Patients will be asked to answer the questionnaire EuroQol-5 Dimension (EQ-5D), which is a validated instrument determining the quality of life as a health outcome. Developed in Europe, it is widely applied. The tool offers 5 dimensions including mobility, self-care, usual activities, pain/discomfort, and anxiety/depression (6). The questionnaire includes a visual analog scale where patients can give information on their health state.
Time frame: 3 weeks, 6 weeks, 12 weeks and 26 weeks after surgery
Constant-Murley Score (CMS):
The Constant-Murley Score (CMS) is a 100-points scale composed of different parameters to define the level of pain and the ability of the patient to perform normal daily activities. It is used to determine the functional outcome after treatment of shoulder injuries. The higher the score, the better the function of the shoulder is. CMS is divided into four main subscales: pain (max. 15 points), strength (max. 25 points), daily activity (max. 20 points) and range of motion (40 points). The European Society of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery (ESSE) has promoted the Constant- Murley Score as a gold standard for the assessment of shoulder function (7-9). The Constant-Murley Score takes patient sex and age into consideration. The score can be used relative to age and sex (10).
Time frame: 12 weeks and 26 weeks after surgery
Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand score (DASH)
DASH is a 30-item questionnaire that determines the ability of a patient to perform certain upper extremity activities. DASH questionnaire is self-reported, where patients can rate the difficulty and interference with daily life (1 = no difficulty or no symptom, 5 = unable to perform or very severe symptom). Subsequently, a score is calculated using a formula. A DASH score of 0 corresponds to no disability and 100 to extreme disability.
Time frame: 12 weeks and 26 weeks after surgery
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