Multicenter trial of a noninvasive stimulation method for idiopathic scoliosis. A summary of early treatment results

Abstract

Lateral electrical surface stimulation (LESS) for the treatment of idiopathic scoliosis has been applied to 548 patients by 54 principal investigators in North America and Western Europe. The purpose of the multicenter investigation was to determine whether this noninvasive stimulation technique alone is a viable alternative to bracing in routine clinical use. Only patients with rapidly progressing scoliosis and at least one year of growth remaining were included in the study. When stimulation was applied, a pretreatment curvature progression rate of 1 degree/month reversed to a reduction rate of 0.5 degrees/month over the initial 6 months of treatment. The longest follow-up in treatment was 51 months, and the mean time in treatment was 12 months. At the time of this analysis, 72% of the patients had either reduced or stabilized their scoliosis. Thirteen percent (13%) of the patients had experienced temporary progression with subsequent stabilization and treatment continuation. Progression resulted in termination of 15% of the patients from the program. The final treatment result at skeletal maturity was maintained posttreatment.