Why do I have to wear a spinal brace?
After scoliosis surgery, your surgeon might prescribe a brace to help support your spine and ribs as you are healing. The pressure of this spinal brace on your abdomen will also provide some pain relief.
How long do I have to wear this spinal brace?
You will be measured for and receive your brace about five days after surgery. You will need to wear it for about two to six months after the surgery.
What does a post-operative spinal brace look like?
You may be asked to wear a brace called a Sansplint spinal brace, which is made of plastic with a cotton corset. Other types of braces may be used, depending on the goal of treatment in the brace.
What happens exactly?
Approximately five days after your surgery, you will be seen by a health professional called an orthotist to have the spinal brace made. You will be given a long cotton body stocking to wear during the procedure. Several measurements will be taken of your body and you will be asked to lie on your stomach on a casting bed. A warm piece of plastic will be draped on your back. The plastic cools and hardens in about five minutes. A cotton corset is then attached to the plastic and the spinal brace is ready for the final fitting.
The entire process takes about three hours. At the end of the appointment, you will start wearing the brace, gradually building up your wear time over the course of a week to 20 to 22 hours per day.
What happens at the follow-up appointments?
In general, you will be seen by your orthotist within two weeks of discharge from the hospital. It is common to have a lot of swelling in your abdomen in the first few weeks after surgery. Once the swelling goes down, your spinal brace will have to be re-molded to your body to fit properly. All subsequent appointments with your orthotist will be on the same day as the follow-up appointments with your orthopedic doctor.
