Jun 17, 2016 | By Tess
As many people already know, scoliosis is a relatively common affliction—affecting about 3 out of every 100 people—that is diagnosed when a person’s spinal axis has a deviation. Many cases of scoliosis tend to go untreated, resulting in minor back pains and discomforts, but more severe cases of the spine curvature condition should be treated for the patient to lead a normal, comfortable life. Traditional treatments for scoliosis include physical therapy, bracing, casting, and in the most extreme cases surgery. Bracing, one of the more common treatments, is used to keep the spine in its place, and can even gradually reduce the degree of curvature. Of course, the quality and accuracy of the brace, as well as the ability to adjust the brace is paramount to a proper treatment.
This is where Lelio Leoncini comes in. A surgeon specializing in physical medicine and rehabilitation at WASP Medical, Leoncini has been working on a particularly innovative scoliosis treatment for the the past couple years. That is, since 2014, Leoncini has been working on perfecting custom 3D printed corsets for scoliosis patients.
As he explains, with a condition like scoliosis that is constantly changing and can even be quite unpredictable, having a method of reliably and easily monitoring the patient’s back is imperative. For this, Leoncini has been using a Raster-stereographic tool from Formetric 3D, which has allowed for non-invasive optical recording. He says, “This experience has allowed me to detect the most critical points of the realization of ortopedic corsets and the consequent impact on the effectiveness of brace treatment, but was also an incentive to search for and find technology systems to solve them.”
In making the 3D printed corsets, the first step is a CAD-CAM capture, wherein low cost infrared sensors can effectively 3D scan and capture the patient’s torso. The technology is also capable of simultaneously correcting the patient’s curvature in a digital model. According to the doctor, the modelling time lasts only about 30 minutes. The benefits of 3D printing the brace are also notable: the technology is cost and materially efficient, even once printed the braces can be recycled and modified, they are lightweight and custom fitted, and have a distinct improved aesthetic quality. Leoncini has been working with the DeltaWASP 40 70 3D printer for his braces.
As one can imagine, the accuracy of the brace is crucial for an adequate treatment, and 3D printing could help significantly in this respect. Leoncini explains the significance of technological advancements in the medical field: “I personally have always had a great interest in fields such as computer science and technology in general and I have never failed to combine these interests in my profession. Medicine is a science and as such never reaches a point of arrival. It always needs to be developed in order to offer more possibilities…Innovation is the tool to break down barriers and provide opportunities to the most disadvantaged people.”
3D printing had allowed for some significant advancements within the field of orthopaedics, as one of the world’s leading manufacturers of orthopaedic technology, Stryker, invested in a state-of-the-art 3D printing facility earlier this year, and a number of other practices have begun to incorporate the technology in one way or another.
Images credit: WASP
Posted in 3D Printing Application
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I would like to know more. Please could I know where you are based?
Dr. Snel wrote at 4/2/2019 1:49:20 PM:
Hi my nam is Dr. Snel, chiropractor from curacao. I notice that your brace is advertized as a 3D brace but I don't see any derotation devices inside the brace. Please explain your brace to me how it works.
Liz wrote at 9/7/2018 5:16:05 AM:
How much is it
Heather shells wrote at 5/26/2018 6:30:39 AM:
I'd like to know cost and how to be fitted as I have so much pain from scoliosis
Fatima wrote at 4/26/2018 10:45:38 AM:
Hello,how can I contact with you?
Eric wrote at 12/13/2016 3:08:03 AM:
I would like to know more. Ekelauer@yahoo.com
anju wrote at 12/3/2016 5:57:47 AM:
Who can I contact to get more information about ordering this brace? anju@madnani.com
Andrea Galli wrote at 11/25/2016 8:58:53 PM:
I woud to know more about these brace , i'm from Argentina, my daughter has scoleosis , she is 12 years old . Please contact me at andygalli@yahoo.com
Patricia J Garcia Ruano wrote at 10/20/2016 12:58:13 AM:
I am 62 yrs old and have scoliosis. The back pain is sometimes unbearable. Would this work for me?
ESTELLE R. wrote at 9/25/2016 10:41:57 PM:
WOULD YOU RECOMMEND THIS BRACE TO STRAIGHTEN THE SPINE OF A 80 YEAR OLD WOMAN DIAGNOSED WITH A 52 DEGREE DEXTINE SCOLIOSIS OF THE THORACO LUMBAR SPINE APEX TI C - L - 3
dana wrote at 8/27/2016 8:49:42 AM:
how can i purchase for my daughter?? i mean how about this size? please email me tota.me@hotmail.com
Sherry Bellino wrote at 8/19/2016 4:28:46 PM:
This looks amazing!! I would like to hear how one can get fitted for the scoliosis brace! Please email sherrybellino@gmail.com
Rebecca Robertson wrote at 8/13/2016 6:31:15 AM:
I would like to hear how one can get fitted for the scoliosis brace! Please advise RebeccaRobertson1@gmail.com
I.Anusuya wrote at 8/10/2016 11:33:33 AM:
i am also having back pain for the past 2 years, my age is 54, i need this brace, what is the cost of brace. i want to purchase this brace.
Pearl marcus wrote at 7/7/2016 2:18:14 AM:
I am interested in this brace. How can I purchase
I.AM.Magic wrote at 6/17/2016 1:52:33 PM:
Amazing!