PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

S Willner

Publications and source records attributed to S Willner.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1985

Effect of a rigid brace on back pain.

The effect of a rigid plastic delordosating brace - the Flexaform brace - was studied in 48 patients with low back pain. In spondylolisthesis the brace gave pain relief in 13 cases, and the remaining two cases reported improvement. In seven cases with spinal stenosis, only two cases were free from pain, four were improved, and in one case the pain was unchanged. In 26 patients with chronic low back pain of unknown etiology, 17 cases did not improve, five cases improved and complete loss of pain was seen in only four cases. When all three groups were combined, a correlation was seen between pain relief in the brace and pain relief in the supine position and in the forward bending position.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1984

Prevalence study of trunk asymmetries and structural scoliosis in 10-year-old school children.

The prevalence of trunk asymmetries was studied in 6464, 10-year-old, school children in Malmö City. All those with visible trunk asymmetries were moiré photographed and a subset roentgenographed. Moiré, positive findings were seen in 13% of the boys and in 16% of the girls. A more prominent moiré asymmetry (a deviation of two moire contour lines or more) was seen in 0.6% of the boys and 0.9% of the girls. The Cobb angles in this latter group varied between 14-25 degrees. Children with small clinical and moiré asymmetries (deviations of less than one moiré fringe) had no or very small (less than 10 degrees), lateral deviations seen on the x-ray and should, therefore, be regarded rather as normal variations of the shape of the trunk. On the other hand, these small asymmetries cannot be disregarded as possible indications of a risk group in which structural scoliosis can develop later during the period of growth.

Braces↗
PubMed1984

Development of trunk asymmetries and structural scoliosis in prepuberal school children in Malmö: follow-up study of children 10-14 years of age.

Trunk asymmetries were diagnosed at the age of 10 in school children (2,200 cases) in Malmö. A combined clinical-moiré screening program was used. Twenty-five percent of the girls and 19% of the boys had a positive forward bending test. A positive moiré asymmetry was seen in 13% of the girls and in 11% of the boys. More extreme moiré asymmetries were seen in 0.8% of the girls and 0.6% of the boys. All of these cases were roentgenographed and the mean Cobb angle was 14 degrees. Moiré asymmetries of one moiré fringe or more were defined as a risk group and were followed up annually until the age of 14 years by means of moiré photography. During the following 3 years, the moiré asymmetry increased markedly in 14 girls and four boys. Five of these 32 roentgenographed cases had progressive scoliosis needing brace treatment. All cases referred to as symmetric trunks at the age of 10 were also reexamined annually. In no case did the scoliosis exceed 15 degrees. This implies that adolescents with scoliosis severe enough to need treatment always had a visible trunk asymmetry at the age of 10. Consequently, progressive idiopathic scoliosis requiring some type of treatment during adolescence can be found in this risk group at the age of 10 years.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1984

Effect of the Boston thoracic brace on the frontal and sagittal curves of the spine.

The purpose of the present study was to compare the sagittal and lateral curves in progressive idiopathic scoliosis treated conservatively with the Boston thoracic brace. The importance of the delordosation was confirmed. The correlation was, however, seen only between correction of the lumbar lordosis and correction of the lumbar scoliosis. The correction of the proximal thoracic scoliosis with the brace was equally good, without a similar correlation between correction of the proximal scoliosis and correction of the sagittal curves being observed. A coupling between the correction of the two scolioses may therefore be suspected. Further, the correcting forces of the Boston thoracic brace seemed to be approximately the same independent of the range of the scoliosis, at least between 10 degrees and 40 degrees.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1983

A comparative study of spondylolisthesis in operations on adolescents and adults.

Forty-five patients with spondylolisthesis have been reviewed, all operated with the same surgical procedure: dorso-lateral bilateral fusion. A comparative study was made between two age groups-adolescents (n=22) and adults (n=23). Preoperative symptoms, clinical signs and X-rays of the patients were analysed and compared with postoperative results. The symptoms observed preoperatively differ between these two age groups. In the adolescents, low back pain dominated, whereas sciatic pain did so in the adults. Scoliosis and spina bifida were only found in the younger group, but disc degeneration was, as expected, more often found in the older group. The postoperative results were improved considerably in the younger group and it is suggested that the main cause of the preoperative symptoms in these patients was instability. In the adults, on the other hand, the symptoms seemed to be less due to this instability but rather to other factors, such as disc degeneration and nerve root compression.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1983

Spinal pantograph--a noninvasive anthropometric device for describing postures and asymmetries of the trunk.

A simple noninvasive device, "spinal pantograph," has been developed in order to describe and document the sagittal curves of the spine. The device and the method of evaluating the kyphosis and lordosis are explained. The accuracy of the reproducibility and the comparison with X-ray film findings are discussed. Even the balance of the trunk can be estimated. The sagittal curves in different positions--relaxed standing, maximally erect, and forward bending--can be studied and compared, thus describing the flexibility of the spine. This technique is demonstrated in some cases with different shapes of the sagittal curves of the spine--normal posture and round back deformities, including juvenile kyphosis and structural scoliosis. The effect of flexion braces in juvenile kyphosis and structural scoliosis is discussed.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1983

Thoracic kyphosis and lumbar lordosis during the growth period in children.

The thoracic kyphosis and the lumbar lordosis were studied in 1,101 healthy children in consecutive age-groups between 8 and 16 years of age. The sagittal curves were estimated with a spinal pantograph--a noninvasive device--with the child standing in a relaxed position. The accuracy and the reproducibility of this technique are studied and shown to be acceptable. The thoracic kyphosis varied in both boys and girls. The least pronounced kyphosis was seen at the age of 10-12 years. At the age of 8 and 14-16 the mean range of the kyphosis increased statistically significantly. A positive correlation was also seen between the velocity of growth and the range of the kyphosis. In the lordosis, a similar trend could not be seen, but instead a slow continuous increase. A positive correlation was also observed between the ranges of the kyphosis and lordosis in most of the age-groups. An individual variation was, however, seen and wide ranges of kyphosis as well as lordosis must be accepted as normal variations.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1983

Airborne ultrasound applied to anthropometry--physical and technical principles.

Airborne ultrasound has been utilized for remote measurement of distance, direction, size, form, volume and velocity. General anthropometrical measurements are performed with a newly constructed real-time linear array scanner. To make full use of the method, we expect a rapid development of high-frequency ultrasound transducers for use in air.

Anthropometry↗
PubMed1982

The role of moiré photography in evaluating minor scoliotic curves.

Satisfactory correlation has been observed between the radiographic lateral deviation and moiré documented asymmetry of the trunk in scoliotic curves. The advantage of the moiré method is that it is non-invasive and can document what has been observed for later comparison. This screening method decreases the risk of obtaining too many false positive and negative findings. It also increases the possibility of diagnosing scoliosis earlier than with conventional visual methods and, at the same time, decreases the number of radiographs for minor curves in young patients.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1982

Bleeding time and scoliosis.

Collagen abnormalities in idiopathic scoliosis are on record. Since there is a correlation between the platelet aggregating power of the collagen and the bleeding time in patients with scoliosis, the bleeding time was studied in 195 cases with scoliosis and in 318 controls. The bleeding time was longer in the females, especially in those with idiopathic scoliosis (n = 149). Patients with paralytic scoliosis (n = 5) also had a significantly longer bleeding time than non-scoliotic controls. The patients with congenital scoliosis (n = 13) did not differ significantly from the controls or from patients with idiopathic scoliosis. The bleeding time in idiopathic scoliosis did not vary with age or magnitude of the scoliosis. Our data support the view that collagen abnormalities play a role not only in the aetiology of idiopathic scoliosis, but also in other forms of scoliosis.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1982

A prospective prevalence study of scoliosis in Southern Sweden.

In Malmö, Sweden, 17,181 school children born in the years 1961-1965 were screened for scoliosis once a year between the ages of 7 and 16 years, during 1971-1980. Children with clinical signs of scoliosis including a positive forward bending test were admitted to the Department of Orthopedic Surgery for reinvestigation and AP roentgenograms. There were 474 children with a scoliosis measuring 5 degrees of more (prevalence 2.8 per cent). Among the girls this prevalence was 4.3 per cent (n = 367) and among the boys 1.2 per cent (n = 107). This combined screening test revealed in girls a higher percentage of scoliosis measuring 10-14 degrees than 5-9 degrees, 1.3 and 1.1, respectively. In boys, however, the number of curves measuring 5-9 degrees was almost equal to the number exceeding 9 degrees. Thus, the rotational component of the scoliosis seems to be less pronounced in girls and curves less than 10 degrees can easily be missed in them. Therefore, 10 degrees is recommended as the lower limit when using this screening technique. With 10 degrees as the lower limit, the scoliosis prevalence was 3.2 per cent in girls and 0.5 per cent in boys. Ninety-six of the girls (1.1 per cent) had a scoliosis exceeding 19 degrees. 46 showed a progression of the scoliosis, which indicated brace treatment in 42 cases and surgical treatment in 4 cases. Among the boys 12 had curves measuring more than 19 degrees (0.14 per cent). Four boys with curves exceeding 24 degrees were treated with a brace. Thus, the risk of progression was higher in girls as compared with boys; 0.5 per cent of the girls and 0.05 per cent of the boys were treated. Another 0.2 per cent of the girls should also have been treated but, for various reasons, treatment was not carried out.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1982

A comparative study of the efficiency of different types of school screening for scoliosis.

The efficiency of scoliosis screening was studied among school children in the city of Malmö during the seventies. All children were investigated annually during this decade. The efficiency of the screening varied, however, from one in which no specific information at all was given to the school health authorities to the other extreme where a specially trained school nurse carried out a combined moiré -- clinical screening programme. A significant decrease in the mean value of the degree of scoliosis was recorded when diagnosis was made with more effective screening. The best result was achieved when using the combined moiré - clinical screening programme. Furthermore, with this method, the scoliosis was diagnosed at an earlier age and consequently, the number of cases operated on decreased. Thus the cost of effective school screening will be covered merely by avoiding operation in a few cases.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1982

Initial correction with the Boston Thoracic Brace.

The Boston Thoracic Brace, i.e. a Boston Brace without superstructures, has been used for treatment of scoliosis in 57 patients with 91 major curves measuring 31.8 +/- 6.5 degrees, the apex of the scolioses varying from D 7 to L 3. There was a mean correction of 12.9 +/- 6.4 degrees (41 per cent), which was superior to that of the Milwaukee Brace also in the thoracic scolioses (mean correction 3.6 +/- 5.8 degrees) (10 per cent).

Adolescent↗
PubMed1981

The effect of scoliosis surgery on parathormone, calcitonin and calcium levels in serum and the urinary excretion of calcium.

This study investigates mineral metabolism following scoliosis surgery in girls. During the first week there was a significant increase in the secretion of parathormone and a decrease in that of calcitonin. The serum calcium became significantly elevated from between the 3rd and 7th post-operative days. The serum phosphate decreased during the first week and increased significantly thereafter. The urinary excretion of calcium increased five-fold.

Adult↗
PubMed1981

Study of biochemical and hormonal data in idiopathic scoliosis in girls.

Basic cause and factors determining the progression of idiopathic scoliosis are assumed to be multifarious. A deviating growth pattern has also been suspected. The influence of certain bone and growth-stimulating hormones and related biochemical values has been studied in girls with idiopathic scoliosis compared to controls. The mineral content (S-Ca, S-P and S-Alp) did not differ between idiopathic scoliosis and controls. a2-macroglobulin was slightly increased in the scoliotic group in all ages. Morning fast GH and Somatomedin A level in serum were also increased in the scoliotic group. Even a significant increase of 17-oxosteroids are metabolites of androgens in girls. 17-oxosteroids in urine mainly metabolites of cortisol, neither calcitonin or parathyroid hormone, in contrary, did not differ between scoliosis and controls.

17-Ketosteroids↗
PubMed1981

Spinal pantograph - a non-invasive technique for describing kyphosis and lordosis in the thoraco-lumbar spine.

A spinal pantograph - a non-invasive method for describing and documenting the posture of the back in the standing position - is described. Thoracic kyphosis and lumbar lordosis can be recorded by a simple technique. A comparative study of the range of kyphosis and lordosis measured by X-ray and this mechanical device shows a statistically significant correlation. As regards the thoracic kyphosis, the spinal pantograph seems to be as accurate as the X-ray. In lumbar lordosis an underestimation is seen with the clinical device. Compared with non-scoliotic cases, a significantly decreased kyphosis is observed in structural scoliosis, even in cases with a scoliotic angle of less than 30 degrees according to Cobb. The advantage of this spinal pantograph is that it reduces the radiation dosage. It can be used for screening and follow-up examination of the posture especially during the growing stage.

Female↗