FEM With CAD/CAM Brace Design Improves Curve Correction in AIS

Recent studies have shown that a finite element model (FEM) combined with CAD/CAM improves the design of braces for the conservative treatment of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS), using 2D measurements from in-brace radiographs. FEM is a numerical method commonly used for solving engineering and mathematical physics problems. A recent study assessed the immediate effectiveness on curve correction in all three planes of braces designed using CAD/CAM and the numerical simulation of FEM, compared to braces designed with CAD/CAM only. The researchers found that combining FEM with the CAD/CAM approach allowed them to design more efficient braces in all three planes that were lighter than standard CAD/CAM braces. The study, whose initial results were published July 23 in Scoliosis and Spinal Disorders, is ongoing to recruit more cases and to analyze the long-term effect of bracing.