Aim: The aim of the study is to present our experience in the treatment of radial nerve palsy due to humeral fracture.

Material and methods: During the last 4 years, we treated 10 patients with humeral fractures associated with radial nerve palsy. Seven patients were men and 3 were women (mean age 47.8 yrs, range 29–68 yrs). All fractures were closed. Three fractures were transverse, 4 were oblique and 3 were comminuted.

Nerve palsy was present at admission in 8 cases while in 2 cases it appeared after closed reduction manipulations. The latter was considered as an indication for early surgical exploration. Three out of the rest 8 patients were explored because the fracture was comminuted. The remaining five patients were treated initially conservatively. In 3 of them closed reduction failed and the patients were also operated. In total, 2 of the patients were treated with closed reduction.

Results: All fractures were united. During exploration no serious injury was found. All patients had complete return of nerve function within 8 months.

Conclusions: Because no serious injury of the nerve was found during exploration and recovery was complete, surgical treatment could have been avoided. Conservative treatment should be the initial treatment of choice.