Vest developed for use in scoliosis studies

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Agência FAPESP* –By Karina Toledo


Agência FAPESP – Researchers at the Universidade Metodista de Piracicaba School of Medicine (Unimep) have developed a system of plastic vests to induce spinal deformations in rats similar to those that affect people with scoliosis. 
 
The goal of the work, which was funded by FAPESP, is to improve animal models used in studies conducted to evaluate the efficacy of treatments for the disease. The study also aims to investigate the effects of this alteration on muscles and the cardiorespiratory system. 
 
The results were published in an article in Revista Brasileira de Fisioterapia [Brazilian Physiotherapy Journal].
 
“There are many experimental models in the literature for inducing scoliosis in rats, but they are all quite invasive. Some involve suturing muscles; others involve surgical removal of bone or the use of drugs to deform tissue. We developed a method that is non-invasive and low-cost,” explained researcher Carlos Alberto da Silva.
 
In the model created by Silva’s group, the animals were immobilized for 12 weeks—after weaning at 21 days—by two vests (scapular and pelvic) made of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and externally attached to each other by a retainer that regulated the scoliosis angle for 12 weeks with left convexity. 
 
“We designed the vest on the computer after analyzing all the rats’ measurements, such as length, the distance between the rear limbs and the distance between the front limbs. The vest was changed every week to accompany the animal’s growth and keep the spine curved. The adjustment was made individually every week,” he said. 
 
More than 30 types of material, including many types of rubber and dental resins, were tested before the PVC was chosen. Aside from combining the necessary hardness and flexibility, the material does not hurt the animals and is cost-effective.

<p><b>By Karina Toledo</b></p>
<div><b><br />
</b></div>
<div><b>Agência FAPESP </b>– Researchers at the Universidade Metodista de Piracicaba School of Medicine (Unimep) have developed a system of plastic vests to induce spinal deformations in rats similar to those that affect people with scoliosis. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>The goal of the work, which was <b><a href="http://www.bv.fapesp.br/en/auxilios/22950/development-application-bracing-promotion-scoliosis/" target="_blank">funded by FAPESP</a></b>, is to improve animal models used in studies conducted to evaluate the efficacy of treatments for the disease. The study also aims to investigate the effects of this alteration on muscles and the cardiorespiratory system. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>The results were published in <b><a href="http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?pid=S1413-35552012000300013&script=sci_arttext" target="_blank">an article</a></b> in <i>Revista Brasileira de Fisioterapia</i> [Brazilian Physiotherapy Journal].</div>
<div> </div>
<div>“There are many experimental models in the literature for inducing scoliosis in rats, but they are all quite invasive. Some involve suturing muscles; others involve surgical removal of bone or the use of drugs to deform tissue. We developed a method that is non-invasive and low-cost,” explained researcher Carlos Alberto da Silva.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>In the model created by Silva’s group, the animals were immobilized for 12 weeks—after weaning at 21 days—by two vests (scapular and pelvic) made of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and externally attached to each other by a retainer that regulated the scoliosis angle for 12 weeks with left convexity. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>“We designed the vest on the computer after analyzing all the rats’ measurements, such as length, the distance between the rear limbs and the distance between the front limbs. The vest was changed every week to accompany the animal’s growth and keep the spine curved. The adjustment was made individually every week,” he said. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>More than 30 types of material, including many types of rubber and dental resins, were tested before the PVC was chosen. Aside from combining the necessary hardness and flexibility, the material does not hurt the animals and is cost-effective. </div>
<div> </div>