Scoliosis screening device
US5181525A · kind A · utility
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Apr 25, 1989 |
| Grant date | Jan 26, 1993 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 25, 2009 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
- CPC primaryA61B2090/067
- WIPO fieldMedical technology
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
The disease scoliosis is a rotational deformity of the spine and ribs, characterized by both lateral curvature and vertebral rotation. Idiopathic genetic scoliosis occurs about seven time more frequently in the female than in the male and accounts for about 80% of all cases of the disease. The deformity first appears in infants, juveniles or adolescents generally, and many school health programs in this country have screening programs for the early detection of the disease. On detection, the patient is referred to a specialist for treatment. Presently, however, over-referral of great numbers of children with very mild curvatures which do not require treatment is causing a large number of unnecessary x-rays and needless lost time and expense. The invention disclosed herein is a simple and convenient device for measuring the clinical deformity in patients with scoliosis which establishes objective criteria for screening and which can significantly reduce the number of over-referrals.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.