JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

The standard of brace treatment for patients with scoliosis today is still very variable in terms of brace quality and outcome.

Objective:

This study aims to generate a template to obtain a database for a prospective multicenter study to analyze the results of high corrective asymmetric brace treatment of patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS).

Methods:

A template for the database was created, which contains the patients' basic data, the angles of curvature according to Cobb, and the cosmetically relevant angles of trunk rotation (ATR). A retrospective chart review of AIS patients who met the SRS inclusion criteria for brace studies was performed in order to test the feasibility.

Results:

Out of 115 patients from 2014 - 2018, the complete data of 33 patients followed up at least three months after complete brace weaning could be analyzed. The mean improvement in Cobb angle on the in-brace X-ray was -26.1० (80% of in-brace correction). The Cobb angle of the major curvature changed as follows: Curve stabilization was achieved in 7 cases (21.2%), and curve improvement was achieved in 26 cases (78.8%). None of the patients showed a curve progression. ATR improved significantly for thoracic as well as for lumbar curves (p<0.005).

Conclusions:

The database proved to be informative in the assessment of radiological as well as clinical outcome parameters. The results of this random sample are noteworthy and shed light on the influence of the high corrective asymmetric brace derivative studied on the cosmetic appearance of the affected patients. Clinical Trial: none