ADOLESCENT IDIOPATHIC SCOLIOSIS - TREATMENT WITH THE WILMINGTON BRACE- A COMPARISON OF FULL-TIME AND PART-TIME USE

We reviewed the clinical records and the radiographs of 188 patients,w ho had adolescent idiopathic scoliosis. Our purpose was to determine w hether part-time and full-time bracing had been equally effective in p reventing progression of the curve. Pull-time bracing had been used fo r ninety-eight patients; part-time bracing, for forty-nine; and electr ical stimulation, for forty-one. Eighty-eight patients had had a curve of less than 30 degrees and 100 patients, a curve of 30 to 40 degrees . The treatment was considered a failure if the curve had increased 5 degrees or more. The curve progressed 5 degrees or more in thirteen (3 6 per cent) of the thirty-six patients who had had full-time bracing f or a curve of less than 30 degrees, in thirteen (41 per cent) of the t hirty-two who had had part-time bracing for such a curve, and in fourt een (70 per cent) of the twenty who had had electrical stimulation for such a curve. Compared with electrical stimulation, both full-time an d part-time bracing prevented progression significantly more effective ly (p < 0.02 and p < 0.04, respectively). With the numbers available, the difference in progression between the groups that had had full-tim e and part-time bracing was not significant (p < 0.18). The curve prog ressed 5 degrees or more in thirty-six (58 per cent) of the sixty-two patients who had had full-time bracing for a curve of 30 to 40 degrees , in ten of the seventeen who had had part-time bracing for such a cur ve, and in eighteen (86 per cent) of the twenty-one who had had electr ical stimulation for such a curve. The difference in progression betwe en each bracing program and electrical stimulation was significant (p < 0.03 for the full-time program and p < 0.05 for the part-time progra m). With the numbers available, the difference in progression between full-time and part-time bracing was not significant (p < 1.14).