Study design: A prospective study on clinical, radiographic, and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) outcomes in children with acute spondylolysis treated with a rigid thoracolumbar orthosis or with an elastic lumbar support.

Objective: To compare outcomes of pediatric spondylosysis treated with a hard brace or an elastic lumbar support.

Summary of background data: The benefits of the use of a rigid orthosis in treatment of spondylolysis are not clear.

Methods: Fifty-seven consecutive children with acute spondylolysis (mean age 14.1 y, range 9 to 17 y) were prospectively enrolled. Patients were treated with a rigid thoracolumbar orthosis (Boston brace) or with a low-profile, elastic lumbar support. First 14 patients were randomized the remaining 43 chose brace type themselves. Treatment period was four months. Treatment outcomes included bony union of the spondylolysis assessed with a CT at 4 months and HRQoL using the SRS-24 outcome questionnaire filled out before and after the treatment.

Results: Out of the 57 patients, 54 completed the treatment protocol. Twenty-nine patients were treated using the Boston brace and 25 patients the elastic lumbar support. Bony union was obtained in 69.0% (20/29) of the Boston brace and in 60.0% (15/25) of the elastic lumbar support group patients. Difference in union rates was not significant (RR 1.14, 95%CI 0.44-2.98, P=0.785). There was no difference in the SRS-24 total or domain scores at the end of follow-up between the treatment groups (P>0.159 for all comparisons). In the whole cohort the bony union did not predict better HRQoL in the end of the treatment (P=0.869), although the pain domain improved significantly in the whole cohort (P<0.001).

Conclusion: A rigid thoracolumbar orthosis did not provide any benefits over an elastic lumbar support in terms of bony union or HRQoL outcomes in children with acute spondylolysis.