ADOLESCENT IDIOPATHIC THORACIC SCOLIOSIS - A PROSPECTIVE TRIAL WITH AND WITHOUT BRACING DURING POSTOPERATIVE CARE

Fifty patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis treated by posterior fusion and Harrington instrumentation augmented by a Cotrel bar or by sublaminal Luque wires were studied in a prospective trial to ascertain the need for postoperative bracing. Twenty-five patients wore a plaster brace postoperatively for six months, while 25 were managed without a brace. The mean loss of correction from the first standing postoperative radiograph to one obtained two years later was 7 in the braced group, and 6.3 in the unbraced group, the difference not being statistically significant. We conclude that postoperative bracing is unnecessary after augmented Harrington instrumentation.