Scapula alata: Diagnosis and treatment by nerve surgery and tendon transfers

Surgical management of bilateral scapular winging in a previously healthy 10-year-old boy: A case report

“…Scapular winging or scapula alata is a pathological condition that happens due to impairment in any of the scapulothoracic muscles, mainly the serratus anterior muscle that is supplied by the long thoracic nerve. Scapular winging causes abnormal movements of the scapula over the thorax and leads to altered shoulders’ function as the scapula which supports the upper limb, is not stable anymore [ 1 ].…”

“…The treatment can be conservative as most cases recover spontaneously. Nerve surgery can be done for acute cases and tendon transfers for chronic cases as nerve procedures are no longer feasible [ 1 ]. it is worth noting that surgical options for scapular winging are associated with a higher average cost than conservative management.…”

Treatment of neurogenic scapular winging: a systematic review on outcomes after nonsurgical management and tendon transfer surgery

“…13,14 Scapular winging has been associated with a great variety of underlying etiologies (eg, trauma, inflammation, iatrogenic injury, and myopathy), 28,36,45 and therefore it is often misdiagnosed in clinical practice. 4,21,37 In clinical practice, scapular winging is often associated with pain, weakness, and decreased active range of motion of the shoulder. 13,36 Most patients with a functional deficit due to scapular winging are thought to recover spontaneously within 24 months, but this is based on only a few studies.…”