Sensorized Orthosis for Non-Operative Treatment of $Pectus~Carinatum$ in Pediatric Patients

Abstract

This paper describes a sensorized orthosis used to objectively monitor the follow-up of pediatric patients affected by Pectus Carinatum and treated through compression therapy. The study reports an analysis made on 25 patients. The pressure exerted by the compression brace was monitored by means of a high-density sensing matrix at every outpatient check, over 150 days. The pressure maps derived from this analysis correlated with the clinical parameters indicating a successful outcome for the treatment of specific deformity types such as symmetric chondrogladiolous and rib flares. Results demonstrate that bracing is an effective tool in well-motivated patients in the previously mentioned deformity types. Pressure mapping emerged as a parameter to objectively assess treatment efficacy and may pave the way to a new generation of orthoses with high-density sensorized elements chronically embedded in their structure.