title: Treatment of thoraco-lumbar curves in adolescent females affected by idiopathic scoliosis with a progressive action short brace (PASB): assessment of results according to the SRS committee on bracing and nonoperative management standardization criteria.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The effectiveness of conservative treatment of scoliosis is controversial. Some studies suggest that brace is effective in stopping curve progression, whilst others did not report such an effect.The purpose of the present study was to effectiveness of Progressive Action Short Brace (PASB) in the correction of thoraco-lumbar curves, in agreement with the Scoliosis Research Society (SRS) Committee on Bracing and Nonoperative Management Standardisation Criteria.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty adolescent females (mean age 11.8 +/- 0.5 years) with thoraco-lumbar curve and a pre-treatment Risser score ranging from 0 to 2 have been enrolled. The minimum duration of follow-up was 24 months (mean: 55.4 +/- 44.5 months). Antero-posterior radiographs were used to estimate the curve magnitude (CM) and the torsion of the apical vertebra (TA) at 5 time points: beginning of treatment (t1), one year after the beginning of treatment (t2), intermediate time between t1 and t4 (t3), end of weaning (t4), 2-year minimum follow-up from t4 (t5). Three situations were distinguished: curve correction, curve stabilisation and curve progression.The Kruskal Wallis and Spearman Rank Correlation tests have been used as statistical tests.
  
  
  RESULTS
  CM mean value was 29,30 +/- 5,16 SD at t1 and 14,67 +/- 7,65 SD at t5. TA was 12.70 +/- 6,14 SD at t1 and 8,95 +/- 5,82 at t5. The variation between measures of Cobb and Perdriolle degrees at t1,2,3,4,5 and between CM t5-t1 and TA t5-t1 were significantly different.Curve correction was accomplished in 94% of patients, whereas a curve stabilisation was obtained in 6% of patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The PASB, due to its peculiar biomechanical action on vertebral modelling, is highly effective in correcting thoraco-lumbar curves.
authors.affiliation: Orthopaedic Department, Children's Hospital Bambino Gesù, Institute of Scientific Research, P.zza S. Onofrio, 4 - 00165 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Angelo G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Aulisa
authors.affiliation: University of Cassino, Strada Folcara, 4 - 03043 Cassino (FR), Italy.|Orthopaedic Department, Children's Hospital Bambino Gesù, Institute of Scientific Research, P.zza S. Onofrio, 4 - 00165 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Vincenzo
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Guzzanti
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics, "A. Gemelli" Hospital, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Largo A. Gemelli, 1 - 00168, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Galli
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics, "A. Gemelli" Hospital, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Largo A. Gemelli, 1 - 00168, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Carlo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Perisano
authors.affiliation: Orthopaedic Department, Children's Hospital Bambino Gesù, Institute of Scientific Research, P.zza S. Onofrio, 4 - 00165 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Falciglia
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics, "A. Gemelli" Hospital, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Largo A. Gemelli, 1 - 00168, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Lorenzo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Aulisa