Consolidation et fonction après huit arthrodèses scapulothoraciques

Scapulothoracic arthrodesis enabled reduction of the scapula alata and improved shoulder function for elevation and daily activities. The gain in motion and Constant score were satisfactory and similar to other results in the literature. The main drawback was deficient external rotation. Pain was mild and resulted from the deafferentation. It resolved six months postoperatively. Secondary exercise-related pain was mild with little impact. Technically, authors have proposed using different ribs for the fusion, depending on the patient's morphology and searching for a good position for the scapula for external rotation. There have been few postoperative complications: we had one pneumothorax and no neurological, vascular or pulmonary complications. Our results are the first reporting CT fusion findings. Indirect signs of nonunion on plain x-rays reported in earlier studies are not fully reliable, since our CT scans demonstrated nonunion in three shoulders. The lack of fusion does not mean poor function, as was also noted by others, since function was improved (mean gain 27° flexion and 25° abduction).