Franko Orrin I, Bray Christopher, Newton Peter O
Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of California, San Diego, CA 92103, USA.
J Pediatr Orthop. 2012 Dec;32(8):e72-5. doi: 10.1097/BPO.0b013e31826bb109.
Surgeons and software developers recognize that apps can improve patient care by replicating the function of existing medical devices. However, the incorporation of new tools requires that the clinical data being recorded is accurate and valid. This study attempts to validate a new iPhone app to measure scoliotic rotation. The objective of this study was to validate the scoliogauge iPhone application by comparing the results to simultaneous readings from a standard Scoliometer.
Four orthopaedic medical providers (attending surgeon, fellow, resident, and nurse practitioner) each read a standard scoliometer at 60 randomly selected angular measurements between -30 and 30 degrees, whereas a blinded observer simultaneously recorded the angular measurement derived from the scoligauge app. The correlation between the 2 measurements were calculated using a Pearson correlation coefficient with a P-value set to < 0.05 for significance.
The Pearson correlation values ranged from 0.9994 to 0.9996 for all providers and all P-values < 0.001. There was no increase in time associated with using the app compared with the standard device.
The scoligauge app is a convenient novel tool that replicates the function of a standard clinical scoliometer but with a potentially decreased financial cost and greater convenience for providers.
Validation of this new device demonstrates the potential to increase the distribution of cost-effective scoliosis screening tools to a broad population of medical providers.
外科医生和软件开发人员认识到，应用程序可以通过复制现有医疗设备的功能来改善患者护理。然而，纳入新工具要求所记录的临床数据准确有效。本研究试图验证一款用于测量脊柱侧弯旋转的新型iPhone应用程序。本研究的目的是通过将结果与标准脊柱侧弯测量仪的同步读数进行比较，来验证脊柱侧弯测量仪iPhone应用程序。
四名骨科医疗人员（主治外科医生、研究员、住院医生和执业护士）每人在-30度至30度之间随机选择60个角度测量值读取标准脊柱侧弯测量仪，而一名不知情的观察者同时记录从脊柱侧弯测量仪应用程序得出的角度测量值。使用Pearson相关系数计算两次测量之间的相关性，设定P值<0.05为有统计学意义。
所有医疗人员的Pearson相关值范围为0.9994至0.9996，所有P值<0.001。与标准设备相比，使用该应用程序并未增加时间。
脊柱侧弯测量仪应用程序是一种方便的新型工具，它复制了标准临床脊柱侧弯测量仪的功能，但可能降低了成本，并且为医疗人员提供了更大的便利。
对这款新设备的验证表明，有可能将具有成本效益的脊柱侧弯筛查工具推广到广大医疗人员群体中。
