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. 2024 Jul-Aug;38(4):1537-1545.
doi: 10.21873/invivo.13604.

Fibula Grafting for Oromandibular Reconstruction and its Effect on Patient Quality of Life - A Scoping Review

Marcel Ebeling  1   2 , Alexander Hagmann  3 , Spyridoula Derka  4 , Alexander Schramm  5   2 , Frank Wilde  5   2 , Mario Scheurer  5 , Sebastian Pietzka  5   2 , Andreas Sakkas  5   2
Affiliations

Fibula Grafting for Oromandibular Reconstruction and its Effect on Patient Quality of Life - A Scoping Review

Marcel Ebeling et al. In Vivo. 2024 Jul-Aug.

Abstract

Fibula osteoseptocutaneous flap has been widely used for oncologic bony reconstruction of both the mandible and maxilla. Early and late morbidities of the donor side such as leg weakness, ankle instability, limited ankle mobility, tibial stress fractures or incision area pain are well documented; however, there is a lack of information about the effects of fibula grafting on patient quality of life. To address this issue, a scoping literature search in the PubMed electronic database was performed to identify all relevant studies and reviews in the period between 2010 and 2022. The potential discomforts after free fibula grafting and their impact on different domains of everyday living were identified and evaluated. The present literature review indicates that donor site morbidity can negatively impact patients' quality of life, albeit generally classified as minor. However, the functional and aesthetic benefits of oromandibular reconstruction clearly outweigh the associated sequelae. Nevertheless, the authors of this review highlight the importance of a comprehensive clinical evaluation of the donor site besides the recipient site during follow-up examinations. This would help to subjectively evaluate the functional and esthetical limitations of a patient's site and promptly detect morbidities that could lead to long-term complications.

Keywords: Fibula grafting; oral cancer; quality of life; review.

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Conflict of interest statement

The Authors declare that no funds, grants, or other support were received during the preparation of this manuscript. The Authors have no relevant financial or non-financial interests to disclose.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1. Preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA) flowchart of search strategy.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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