Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41668631›Full record

SynthesisHead & neck2026

Bony Union in Maxilla and Mandible Free Flap Reconstruction: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Khanh Linh Tran, Zora Heer, Harkaran Singh Dial, Cornelius Kürten, Brian Ma, Alex Chen, Natalie Mezey, Masih Sarafan, Sidney S Fels, Antony J Hodgson and 3 more

Abstract readSystematic ReviewMeta-Analysis
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Head & neck, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

13 authors.

Khanh Linh TranDivision of Otolaryngology, Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.ORCID 0000-0002-4969-2824
Zora HeerDivision of Otolaryngology, Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
Harkaran Singh DialDivision of Otolaryngology, Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.ORCID 0000-0002-8758-5990
Cornelius KürtenDivision of Otolaryngology, Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.ORCID 0000-0002-2720-0075
Brian MaDivision of Otolaryngology, Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
Alex ChenDivision of Otolaryngology, Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
Natalie MezeyDivision of Otolaryngology, Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.ORCID 0000-0001-9596-3640
Masih SarafanDivision of Otolaryngology, Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
Sidney S FelsDepartment of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Faculty of Applied Science, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
Antony J HodgsonDepartment of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Applied Science, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.ORCID 0000-0002-3107-581X
Farahna SabiqDepartment of Radiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
J Scott DurhamDivision of Otolaryngology, Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
Eitan PrismanDivision of Otolaryngology, Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.ORCID 0000-0001-7201-6181

Funding

Terry Fox Research Institute 1126Vancouver General Hospital-University of British Columbia Hospital Foundation
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundBony nonunion is an important complication in head and neck reconstruction, but its definition, incidence, and treatment are not well-reported.

methodsMEDLINE, Embase, CENTRAL, and Web of Science were searched from October 1st, 1990 to January 6th, 2025 for studies reporting bony union for maxilla or mandible reconstruction with vascularized free flap.

resultsThe search strategy yielded 5985 abstracts and 52 were included in the review. Definitions of bony nonunion varied and were reported in 20 studies. Higher pooled rates of complete union were observed in reconstructions of the maxilla, reconstructions using the radius, and surgeries aided by virtual surgical planning. Treatment for nonunion was reported in 11 studies.

conclusionsVirtual surgical planning has the potential to improve union outcomes and reduce the need for revision surgeries in nonunion cases. The heterogeneity of the studies necessitates randomized controlled trials for further analysis of the nonunion risk factors and consequences.

Indexed as

Free Tissue FlapsMandibular ReconstructionMaxillaPlastic Surgery ProceduresHumansbony unionmandible reconstructionmaxilla reconstructionmeta‐analysissystematic reviewvascularized osseous free flap

Identifiers

PMID41668631
PMCPMC12972640

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.