title: Effectiveness of the Charleston bending brace in the treatment of single-curve idiopathic scoliosis.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of the Charleston bending brace when compared with the thoracolumbosacral orthosis (TLSO or Boston) brace in the treatment of single-curve adolescent-type idiopathic scoliosis. The Charleston and TLSO braces were applied for approximately 8 nighttime hours and 18 to 22 hours per day, respectively. Treatment success was defined as improvement of curve deterioration with <5 degrees progression from the start of brace therapy until the conclusion of treatment, as well as the absence for the need to perform corrective surgery. The success rates were determined by Risser stage, initial angle, type of curvature, and sex of the patient. In addition, the success rate of the Charleston brace was assessed by analyzing the degree of initial correction. One hundred twenty-two patients (94 girls, 28 boys) were studied. Eighty-five patients were treated with the Charleston brace and 37 with the TLSO brace. Mean Cobb angle of curvature before bracing was 30.4 degrees. The curvature was lumbar in 60 patients, thoracic in 56, and thoracolumbar in 6. The average follow-up time was 23 months, with a minimum follow-up of 1 year. Surgery was performed in 11.8% and 13.5% of patients in the Charleston and TLSO groups, respectively. In this patient population, no significant difference in success rate was found between the groups.
authors.affiliation: Spinal Care Unit, Meir Hospital, Sapir Medical Center, Tchernikovsky St., Kfar Saba, 44281 Israel. bdfgls@netvision.net.il
authors.forename: Reuven
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gepstein
authors.forename: Yossi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Leitner
authors.forename: Edna
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Zohar
authors.forename: Itzach
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Angel
authors.forename: Shai
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shabat
authors.forename: Ilia
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Pekarsky
authors.forename: Tye
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Friesem
authors.forename: Yoram
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Folman
authors.forename: Amiram
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Katz
authors.forename: Brian
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Fredman
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001915:Braces / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002648:Child; D004867:Equipment Design; D004869:Equipment Safety; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008134:Long-Term Care; D008297:Male; D009989:Orthotic Devices / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011336:Probability; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012600:Scoliosis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D016896:Treatment Outcome