The Influence of Smoking on Healing of Scaphoid Non-union after a Vascularized Pedicle Bone Flap Operation: A Review and Meta-analysis

The purpose of this study is to compare the vascularized bone flaps (VBF) that are used in operations for scaphoid non-union in smokers and non-smokers and to scrutinize if the better biological potential of the VBFs can counteract the negative influence of smoking on healing. Our study included articles published until 2016, with scaphoid non-union patients who were operated on with a VBF or a VBG. Eighteen articles met eligibility criteria with 335 non-smokers and 136 smokers totally. Healing of the scaphoid non-union was significantly more probable in the non-smoking group (OR=5.54, p