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Published on: May 9, 2025
A Systematic Review of Functional Donor-Site Morbidity in Scapular Bone Transfer
Estephania Candelo1,2, John E Richter3, Oriana Arias-Valderrama4,5
1Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA.
Background:
Despite the general perception of minimal donor-site morbidity associated with scapular free flaps, the surgical harvest of scapular bone and subsequent reattachment of parascapular muscle have the potential to compromise postoperative shoulder function. A comprehensive assessment of functional impairment remains undocumented in the literature. Therefore, this systematic review was conducted to thoroughly explore both subjective and objective donor-site morbidity following free flap surgery.
Methods:
Searches were conducted on PubMed, Embase, and CENTRAL to locate articles addressing functional donor-site morbidity after the transfer of scapular bone. Qualifying articles reported scapular free flaps which utilized bone, including lateral border, medial border, and scapular tip. Each measured donor-site morbidity using at least one of these measures: Constant-Murley score (CM), Disabilities of Arm, Shoulder, and Hand questionnaire (DASH), shoulder range of motion (ROM), and shoulder strength.
Results:
The search culminated in 16 eligible studies, incorporating data from 316 cases. The CM was employed in five studies, yielding mean values from 60.6 to 95, while the DASH was utilized in nine studies, with means ranging from 10.44 to 46.7. Compared to normative values, these CM and DASH scores reflected negligible to mild impairment in shoulder function. Additional evaluations of shoulder ROM, conducted in four studies, revealed modest yet statistically significant reductions in flexion, abduction, and external rotation. Three studies measuring shoulder strength reported associated mild weakening of these motions.
Conclusions:
This systematic review enables healthcare providers to characterize the probable scope of shoulder dysfunction following scapular bone harvest. Patient-reported outcomes imply a high tolerance for the procedure, while objective measures denote the potential for substantial restoration of shoulder function approaching preoperative levels. To augment the understanding of functional recovery, future research should incorporate a comparative analysis of preoperative and postoperative functional metrics for each subject.
