There were 17 cases of type Ш open humeral fractures and 5 cases infected humeral fractures treated with the external skeletal fixation in Chang Gung Memorial Hospital between 1980 and 1984. The age was from 7 to 70 years old (aerage 35 years). The average external fixation time was 103 ays. Seventeen cases were followed up until fracture union. The average union time without bone graft group (13 cases) was 4.5 months. The average union time with bone graft group (4 cases) was 6.5 months. The external skeletal fixator provided stable fracture fixation and early mobilization which facilitated critical care of polytrauma victims, local wound management and staged soft tissue reconstruction. From this study, we concluded that the external skeletal fixation is a good method for complicated humeral fractures.