Did You Know?

Historical treatments for scoliosis. In ancient Greece, Hippocrates used the term scoliosis to describe many types of spinal curvature, including natural and traumatic deformities, and prescribed similar treatments to all types.1 One popular device that he invented was the Hippocratic board (Figure 1), which used traction and pressure from straps and bands to correct spinal deformities.1 This practice continued through the early 19th century, when the addition of weights to the devices caused excessive traction of the spine and reports of patient paralysis spurned strong opposition to the use of these devices among many physicians.2 During this period, Francois Guillaume Levacher de la Feutrie created extension jackets (Figure 2) and chairs that exerted no traction on the spine and were much safer to use.2 Surgical interventions for scoliosis began in the early 20th century, but did not gain popularity until the 1950s when Paul Harrington invented stainless steel Harrington rods with a ratcheting mechanism to correct the curvature, leading to a period of rapid advances in hardware development for spine surgeries that continues today.

Illustrations by Kurt Jones

Figure 1. The Hippocratic board used straps and bands to correct spinal deformities by force. Figure 2. The Minerva jacket designed by Francoise Guillaume Levacher de la Feutrie in the early 1800s supported proper alignment of the spine without traction. References 1. Vasiliadis ES, Grivas TB, Kaspiris A. Historical overview of spinal deformities in ancient Greece. Scoliosis. 2009;4:6. doi:10.1186/1748-7161-4-6. 2. Weiner MF, Silver JR. Paralysis as a result of traction for the treatment of scoliosis: a forgotten lesson from history. Spinal Cord. 2009;47(6):429-434. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0001-2092(16)30874-2

© AORN, Inc, 2016

December 2016 Vol 104 No 6 • Periop Briefing | P15

PERIOP BRIEFING

DID YOU KNOW?