Abstract
PURPOSE: Accurate evaluation of patient compliance with scoliosis brace usage has been a challenge for physicians treating patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis. This inability to accurately measure compliance has resulted in difficulty in determining brace treatment efficacy. This prospective study was performed to demonstrate the efficacy of using a new electronic brace compliance monitor, the Cricket. METHODS: The Cricket is a small encased circuit that can be attached to the brace and, by means of a temperature sensor, can record brace wear times. This study included ten subjects with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis who were prescribed the Wilmington scoliosis brace (thoraco-lumbo-sacral orthosis) into which the Cricket sensor was incorporated. Subjects kept a diary of brace wear times. RESULTS: Comparisons of data for the Cricket, subject diaries, and prescribed brace wear were evaluated. The mean error between the diary times and Cricket recording was 2%. Patient compliance was 78%. CONCLUSIONS: The Cricket is a reliable, accurate, and sensitive device to determine patient compliance with scoliosis brace usage.