Purpose: Rigid full-time braces are the most common non-surgical treatment for adolescents with moderate severity of scoliosis and demonstrated growth remaining. The Scoliosis Research Society (SRS) has established guidelines on which patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) should be offered brace treatment. This study surveyed Canadian surgeons on the demographics of patients with scoliosis attending specialty clinics and for their protocols for prescribing braces.

Method: An on-line survey of 41 questions was developed to document patient profiles and surgeon protocols for prescribing braces. Surgeons also selected whether they would recommend a brace in females with AIS based on a combination of three levels of maturity, with six levels of curve severity, and whether or not the curve was progressive. The survey was administered between July and November 2008 to the 30 paediatric spine surgeon members of the Canadian Paediatric Spinal Deformities Study Group. After one reminder, the response rate was 70% (21/30), representing 12 Canadian spine centres.

Results: The average age of referral to the scoliosis clinic was 11–12 years (10 of 20 respondents) and 13–14 years (nine of 20 respondents). Most (81%) of the centers required radiographs prior to the first clinic visit. All surgeons recommended bracing, but there was broad variation on who they considered should be braced, with three to twenty six of the 36 potential scenarios defined by maturity, progression, and curve severity variables selected. This high variability was also observed among surgeons in the same spine centre. All considered parental or family issues and patient acceptance when recommending a brace. Age and curve severity were criteria for bracing; skeletal maturity was the primary criteria for discontinuing bracing. The majority (81%) of braces prescribed were rigid full-time braces followed by rigid night-time braces (14%). Weaning was common (76%), but protocols varied. Detection of curve progression increased the likelihood of bracing for curves 80% agreement on bracing. Braces were not recommended by > 50% of respondents for females with less than 1 year growth remaining regardless of progression or curve size.

Conclusion: In spite of SRS guidelines and general agreement that braces are effective, there is little agreement among surgeons on which females with AIS should receive brace treatment. The likelihood that a female with AIS will be prescribed brace treatment primarily depends on surgeon brace prescription patterns, rather than actual curvature of the spine.