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  • The SpineCor brace

    Our daughter was treated with the SpineCor brace from June 1999 (age 11) until April 2003. I am happy to report that her curve has stayed stable one year after bracing stopped.
    She was treated by Dr. Charles Rivard and Dr. Christine Coillard at Hospital St. Justine in Montreal.
    We are so thankful for the results.
    Additionally, our daughter was able to wear a dynamic brace that allowed:
    - full body movement
    - no discomfort
    - no issues with breathing or eating
    - no skin irritation
    - no untoward effects on her body due to the brace
    The bracing protocol actually helps the patient learn new behaviors that are beneficial.
    I encourage readers to go to the site:
    http://www.spinecorporation.com

    I'm sorry if this reads like an advertisement; it certainly is not. However, our daughter was originally prescribed with a traditional TLSO brace in the fall of 1998. It was a combination of her resistance to wearing that brace plus the lucky situation of seeing a posting on the MIT scoliosis mailing list about the SpineCor brace that led to our daughter being a pathfinder and electing to wear the SpineCor brace.

    The medical establishment moves very slowly. I'm no expert in this field; however, I do see the obvious benefits to our children of wearing a comfortable brace that may actually be better for them than the hard TLSO brace.

  • #2
    Spinecor

    Hi Michael,

    I am so happy to hear the wonderful results you have experienced with the Spinecor brace. I have so many questions, I hope you don't mind:

    What degree curvature did your daughter have before treatment and after ? What is her Cobb angle at now ? I understand they use digital x-rays ? Were there many x-rays required prior to getting the brace ? I have read somewhere that going to the bathroom can be a problem i.e., the straps, was that an issue for your daughter at all ? Did they prescrbe any exercises to be done in conjunction with wearing the brace ? How often was the brace adjusted and changed ?

    I agree that there are serious problems with the standard rigid braces. Not only do they contribute to rib cage compression but there is a compliance problem since these braces are very tight and uncomfortable. It is my understanding that many of these rigid braces, with the exception of the milwaukee brace, were developed within the last 20 or 30 years and people are only now becoming aware of the problems. These braces won't hold curves once it progesses beyond 40 or 45 degrees. Also, when a child is going through any of the two major growth spurts i.e., between the ages of 0-4 or the pre-adolescent growth spurt - these rigid braces are seriously deficient.

    I have read so many cases of children wearing these braces for years only to be faced with spinal fusion as the final outcome. It is so sad it makes me cry !!!.

    Canadian eh
    Daughter, Deirdre born Oct 2000. Diagnosed with 60 degree curve at the age of 19 months. Serial casting by Dr. Hedden at Sick Kid's Hospital. Currently being treated by Dr. Rivard and Dr. Coillard in Montreal with the Spinecor brace and curve is holding at "2" degrees. Next appointment 2008

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    • #3
      Our daughter's curve was mostly in the high 20s with the brace.
      A year ago when the last in-brace/out of brace measurement was taken, the curve was 31 degrees (same in and out of brace).
      At the one year anniversary, the curve was measured at 29 degrees (out of brace, of course).
      We are from New York State and actually started the treatment protocol in Philadelphia, PA. in June 1999. The first two visits were OK (in brace curves in the mid 20s). Unfortunately, in March 2000 the curve was measured in the mid 30s (in or out of brace). The orthopedist recommended using a traditional brace. At that time we contacted Drs. Rivard and Coillard in Montreal. Dr. Coillard was able to get the curve down to the high 20s in March 2000. The team our daughter saw in Philadelphia is no longer involved with the SpineCor brace for whatever reason.

      At St. Justine, they use digital x-rays (apparently resulting in half the radiation dose to the person). The radiographs are all digital. Drs. Rivard and Coillard bring up the x rays on their computers; no film is involved. The way the fitting works is that first the Freepoint system is used (no radiation) to try to get an image of the body. I understand that someday this might reduce/avoid the need for the xrays. Then the brace is fitted; then the xray is taken. I think only on one visit was a second fitting/xray required.

      For our daughter going to the bathroom was not a problem. She removed the crotch straps and then would refit the brace when she was done. It is quite easy to put the brace on and take it off.

      No exercises were prescribed ... just do everything active while in the brace if at all possible. The SpineCor brace doesn't restrict movement. Our daughter would play tennis and do other physical things while in the brace.

      The checkup visits were every 4-5 months. Usually minor adjustments to the bands were made. The bands attach to the bolero with Velco strips; Dr. Coillard would usually just reposition the bands and mark their positions. Once in a while the bands were changed but not often. The pelvic base fitted in March 2000 lasted until the bracing stopped in April 2003.

      Regards,
      Michael
      Last edited by michaelg; 04-27-2004, 08:57 PM.

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      • #4
        michaelg,
        Glad your daughter is doing soo well!

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        • #5
          Thank you very much. Our daughter will continue with yearly followups through the fifth year without the brace so that additional research data will be available on the SpineCor brace's effectiveness.

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          • #6
            michaelg ,
            Did your daughters curve get better at all?

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            • #7
              SpineCore

              I'm very glad you had such good results with the Spine Core Brace. But I want to caution other users. We were presented with the option of using the Spine Core Brace as well. When my daughter was first diagnosed we were so upset and I couldn't imagine her using one of the other bulkier braces. The doctor assured us that she would be monitored closely (every four months) and we'd change to a different brace if we saw it was not holding the curve. At first the curve was being held but after wearing it for about a year and a half, she all of a sudden went from a 33 degree curve to a 48 degree curve. My daughter switched to the Wilmington Jacket after that huge increase and it held her curve for three more years so that we were able to at least hold off the surgery until she had grown more. She just had surgery on September 16 and I have to say its been very difficult on everyone concerned especially my daughter. I can't help but wonder if the outcome would have been different had we started with the Wilmington Jacket. I would say that there hasn't been enough studies yet to say whether the Spine Core harness is a good option and I would not recommend it.
              Its much better to use a time tested brace and be uncomfortable than to have surgery and be in a lot of pain. Your child can get used to the brace if he/she wears it the prescribed amount of time (no exceptions) and has a positive attitude. Both of those things depend largely on the parents.
              Last edited by egutshall; 09-23-2004, 11:58 AM.

              Comment


              • #8
                Hi...

                Obviously, you'll never know for sure, but it's entirely possible that your daughter's curve would have increased regardless of the brace type. I've heard from parents whose kids wore Boston and Milwaukee braces, whose kids had large increases in a short amount of time. As you probably know, there are plenty of studies that show that both braces are very effective. You did what you thought was right at the time, and in my mind, that's the best you can do.

                We should always remember that for every treatment, there will always be at least a small group of patients for whom that treatment fails. Unfortunately, if you're one of the patients for whom it fails, you probably won't care that it works for everyone else.

                I agree with you about rushing to the newest technology. Until large studies have been published in peer-reviewed journals, we're just guinea pigs when we select a new treatment. We just have to understand that there's an unknown risk attached.

                Regards,
                Linda
                Never argue with an idiot. They always drag you down to their level, and then they beat you with experience. --Twain
                ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                Surgery 2/10/93 A/P fusion T4-L3
                Surgery 1/20/11 A/P fusion L2-sacrum w/pelvic fixation

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