Treatment outcomes across curve patterns and severities in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis treated with a pattern-specific CAD-CAM brace.

BACKGROUND

Whether treatment outcomes differ according to curve pattern or baseline severity in adolescents with idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) remains a subject of debate. In particular, it is unclear whether pattern-specific, CAD-CAM-designed brace systems provide comparable effectiveness across different curvature types. This study aimed to evaluate the influence of curve pattern and initial curve magnitude on treatment outcomes in AIS patients treated with a pattern-specific CAD-CAM-designed brace.

METHODS

A retrospective analysis was conducted on female AIS patients aged 10-14 years (Risser 0-2) treated between 2015 and 2024. Cobb angle and angle of trunk rotation (ATR) were used as primary outcome measures. Data from four international clinics were analyzed for changes in spinal curvature and curve pattern.

RESULTS

A total of 145 patients were included (mean age 12.2 years; mean Cobb angle 38.4° ± 11.4°). Post-treatment, mean Cobb angle and ATR values decreased significantly (p < 0.001). The overall treatment success rate was 91%, with no significant differences based on apex vertebra location (p = 0.459), ALS patterns (p = 0.705), or baseline curve severity (p = 0.274).

CONCLUSION

In this multicenter cohort of skeletally immature adolescents with idiopathic scoliosis, pattern-specific brace treatment was associated with significant reductions in both radiographic curvature and trunk rotation. Improvements were observed across different curve patterns and baseline severities. However, given the retrospective design and absence of a comparison group, these findings should be interpreted with caution. Prospective controlled studies are warranted to further validate these observations.