Application of a lumbar brace for thoracic and double thoracic lumbar scoliosis: a comparative study

Abstract

A pilot study was performed to determine if thoracic and double thoracic lumbar scolioses can successfully be treated by applying a lumbar brace. In some of the patients application of a thoracic brace yielded insufficient correction of the lumbar curve. As the response of a curve to application of a brace is said to be the best guideline for prediction of the results of brace treatment, it was thought important to focus more attention on the behaviour of the lumbar curve. It was assumed that a lumbar brace would result in a better fit and might lead to better correction of the lumbar curve. In total 21 patients were treated according to the above-described method. Three patients were omitted from the study because of incomplete radiographic data. Thus, 18 patients treated with a thoracic brace, who showed insufficient correction of the lumbar curve, were subsequently treated with a lumbar brace. Radiographs taken in the thoracic brace patients showed a mean decrease of the thoracic curve of 9 degrees (27%) and a mean decrease of the lumbar curve of 5 degrees (16%). In the lumbar brace group the mean decrease of the thoracic curve was 7 degrees (21%) and the mean decrease of the lumbar curve was 12 degrees (38%). Brace treatment was successful (<6 degrees progression of the major curve) in 13 patients (70%). In this selection of patients with thoracic and double thoracic lumbar scoliosis a lumbar brace clearly led to a better initial correction of the lumbar curve; follow-up results seem to be comparable to those in literature.