INNOVATIVE HIP SPICA BRACE
Researchers :- *Wan Faisham Ismail (MD), *Abdul Razak Sulaiman (MD), **Che Murad Mustaffa , **Razak Daud
*Orthopaedic Department & ** Physiotherapy and orthotics
School of Medical Sciences
Universiti Sains Malaysia
Affordable and effective hip-spica brace for hip surgery patients
Researchers at Universiti Sains Malaysia have developed an affordable and effective Hip-spica brace. The invention costs only RM 300 compared to imported equivalent which costs RM 2000 and has the further capability to reduce the load to the hip joint.
Rehabilitation following complex hip surgery is a difficult task. The aims of treatment are early mobility and return to function. Soft tissue weakness and poor bone quality predisposed to dislocation and failure of surgery. External support is mandatory to allow tissue healing and incorporation of implant to surrounding bone. Innovative Hip-spica brace like other braces in the market provide hip stabilization that contained the femoral head and reduces the force to the hip while walking. The novel part of this brace is capability to reduce the load to the hip joint.
Description of hip spica brace
It is consist of: -
1. Thigh gutter
a. Well fitted thermoplastic splint
b. Femoral condylar cooptation
c. Trochanter and ischium support
2. Modular waist belt
3. Trochanter and Ischium metal support
4. Modularity
5. Multiple hole for ventilation
Innovative spica brace made by solid thermoplastic moulded splint. The construct is stable for early weight bearing. Ischium support together with condylar coaptation is able to reduce the force to the hip joint and allow healing of bone and tissue and minimise pain while walking. It is suitable for patient underwent major hip surgery (girdlestone hip & revision hip arthroplasty) for faster rehabilitation. Children with hip pathology that requires prolonged crutches also benefits the hip joint load sparing provided by the brace. Innovative hip brace also can be custom in different position for additional protection of hip fracture and dislocation following joint replacement
For the past 2 years, doctors at USM’s hospital have prescribed the brace for 50 patients for different pathology and majority of them satisfied with the function. They have noticed that the patients have more stability while walking and limping significantly improves. The pain is significantly reduced in cases with femoral head collapse. There has been no failure of the braces.
A media conference about this innovation was held on Thursday, 29 October 2009 at the USM Hospital in Kelantan.
