A statistic approach to electronic moulding versus traditional

plaster moulding

Jean Claude de Mauroy, Frédéric Barral, Cyril Lecante

BackgroundElectronic moulding tends to gradually replace the

plaster moulding. Is it as effective?There is no study on the results obtained by this

process for the scoliosis. In the department of orthopaedic medicine of the

Clinique du Parc - Lyon, the electronic moulding replaced the traditional plastered moulding in May, 2008.

Are the radiological angular corrections better in brace?

Adjusting position

Comparing virtual vertebral reconstruction and real X ray

Full 3D Electronic Moulding

automatic modification of the shape

Methodology

The angular correction of 166 plaster moulding scoliosis was compared with the correction of 117 electronic moulding scoliosis (random).

Both mouldings were made by the same physician. The electronic moulding has been produced using

the full 3D system ORTEN. The curves have been grouped into thoracic

(n=127), thoracolumbar(n=65) and lumbar(n=206).

Init Plaster cast

Lumbar brace

Results

• The average initial angle is: 28,19 (+-9,21) for thoracic, 28,11 (+-9,34) for thoraco-lumbar and 25,86 (+-7,04) for lumbar curves.

• The angular reducibility is 54 % in braces for the thoracic curvatures, 69 % for the thoraco-lumbar curvatures and of 73 % for the lumbar curvatures, which corresponds to the usual results of the Lyon management.

Lomb

Thor

Th-Lom

73 %

206 curves127 curves

65 curves

69 %

54 %

Anatomo-radiological classification

In Brace angular reducibility

ThoracicThor-Lumb

Lumbar

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

Total

> 30°

classification Pe

rcen

tage

54 % 69 % 73 %

Comparative resultsN= 166 – Traditional moulding N = 117 cad-cam moulding

Thoracic before treatment 28,70 (+-8.85 ) 27,75 (+-9.60 )

Thoracic in plaster cast 13,33 (+-8.15 ) 15,72 (+-8.83 )

Thoracic in brace 14,43 (+-8.47 ) 13,19 (+-7.88 )

Thor-lumbar before treatment 28,21 (+-9.38 ) 28,61 (+-9.12 )

Thor-lumbar in plaster cast 8,82 (+-8.94 ) 9,35 (+-8.43 )

Thor-lumbar in brace 11,37 (+-9.82 ) 8,88 (+-8.37 )

Lumbar before treatment 26,31 (+-6.86) 25,31 (+-7.10 )

Lumbar in plaster cast 8,02 (+-6.69 ) 8,23 (+- 7.70)

Lumbar in brace 8,78 (+-7.70 ) 6,85 (+7.34- )

Electronic versus Plaster Moulding

ThoracicThor-Lumb

Lumbar

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

Total

> 30°

Electronic Moulding is better im

prov

emen

t

3.63°3.02°

2.14°

5.44°4.75°

3.89°

But nonsignificant

Conclusion

Such results are in favour of the electronic moulding which remains however delicate and require:

a precise position of the patient during the surface topography and

well trained orthotic technicians.