Abstract:Objective To compare the effect of artificial joint replacement and internal fixation on the treatment of humeral anatomical neck fracture caused by failed reduction of shoulder dislocation in elderly patients. Methods Twenty-five elderly patients with humeral anatomical neck fracture caused by failed manual reduction of shoulder dislocation in our hospital from June 2009 to July 2016 were retrospectively analyzed, among which 14 patients underwent artificial shoulder arthroplasty (joint replacement group) and 11 patients underwent open reduction and internal fixation (open reduction and internal fixation group). The operative time, bleeding volume, postoperative complications, shoulder joint Constant-Murley score and Neer score were compared between the two groups. Results The operative time was shorter, the blood volume was smaller and the postoperative complications were significantly fewer in the joint replacement group than in the open reduction and internal fixation group (P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in the Constant-Murley score, Neer score or the excellent and good rate of the shoulder joint between the two groups (P > 0.05). Conclusions In the treatment of humeral anatomical neck fracture caused by failed reduction of shoulder dislocation in elderly patients, artificial shoulder arthroplasty has the advantages of shorter time, less bleeding and fewer postoperative complications, and should be widely promoted.