title: A photoelastic force-indicating spreader for the correction of scoliosis.
abstract: The Harrington rod procedure for the surgical correction of scoliosis may be safely applied only if the spreader is instrumented with a force indicator. A method is described here of providing the surgeon with simple and direct means of controlling the force exerted with the spreader, using a photoelastic transducer with a special device for temperature compensation which is built into the spreader.
mesh_terms: D004548:Elasticity; D006801:Humans; D008027:Light; D009983:Orthopedic Equipment; D012600:Scoliosis / Q000601:surgery*; D013525:Surgical Instruments; D014159:Transducers