[Claims and realities of brace treatment : Primary correction of scoliosis in children and adolescents].

BACKGROUND

It is understood that an effective brace therapy requires a primary curve angle reduction of 50% after administering the first orthotic brace.

OBJECTIVES

The aim of the study was to determine the efficacy of conservative brace therapy for scoliosis with a curve angle above 20° and to determine possible influencing factors.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The current study included a cohort of 110 scoliosis patients with conservative brace therapy. The development of the scoliotic curve during brace therapy was documented for an average of 40 months. Influencing factors such as the initial Risser sign, age at the start of treatment, gender, curve patterns and body mass index were analyzed.

RESULTS

The collective consisted of 88 patients with idiopathic and 22 with neuromuscular spinal deformities. At the beginning of the brace therapy, the average age was 12.2 ± 2.8 years with a mean scoliosis curve angle of 30.4° ± 12.5°. The primary brace reduced the scoliotic curve by 31% to 20.9°. In children and adolescents with lower maturity status, the success of the brace therapy was greater than in patients with a higher Risser sign. In addition, children with obesity had less success during brace therapy than normal- or underweight children.

CONCLUSIONS

The initial curvature correction of 50% required for effective brace therapy could only be achieved in one third of the patients. On average, the correction was 31%.