Document Type

Article

Publication Date

9-2026

Identifier

DOI: 10.1007/s43390-026-01510-y; PMCID: PMC13553607

Abstract

PURPOSE: Lateral electrical surface stimulation (LESS), commercially known as the ScoliTron™, emerged in the late 1970s as a noninvasive alternative to bracing for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis. Early clinical reports generated considerable enthusiasm and adoption, but the technique was ultimately abandoned. This study examined the rise and fall of LESS through a combined analysis of the Scoliosis Research Society (SRS) archives and published literature, with the goal of understanding factors that influence the adoption, evaluation, and abandonment of innovation in scoliosis care.

METHODS: A structured historical review was conducted using archival materials from the Scoliosis Research Society (SRS), including meeting abstracts, audiovisual records, and correspondence. Archival data were independently screened and extracted by two reviewers. In parallel, a focused literature review was performed in accordance with PRISMA guidelines using PubMed and Ovid MEDLINE, with independent screening and full-text assessment by two reviewers.

RESULTS: The archival review identified 24 SRS abstracts related to LESS. The literature search identified 50 records, of which 26 underwent full-text review and 12 met inclusion criteria. Early reports suggested short-term curve stabilization in selected patients, leading to increased clinical adoption. However, larger studies with longer follow-up demonstrated inconsistent outcomes, including continued progression in skeletally immature patients, variable compliance, device related complications, and high failure rates. Comparative studies consistently demonstrated outcomes inferior or, at best, equivalent to bracing, with no convincing evidence that LESS altered the natural history of scoliosis. Archival materials further revealed evolving professional perspectives and concerns that were not always captured in the published literature.

CONCLUSION: The history of LESS illustrates how promising innovations can achieve widespread acceptance before sufficient evidence is available to support their long-term effectiveness. The SRS archives provide unique insight into the scientific, clinical, and cultural factors that shaped both the adoption and eventual abandonment of this technology. Beyond the story of LESS, this analysis highlights the value of historical archives in understanding the evolution of scoliosis care and informing future innovation.

Journal Title

Spine Deform

Volume

14

Issue

5

First Page

1519

Last Page

1527

MeSH Keywords

Scoliosis; Humans; History, 20th Century; Electric Stimulation Therapy; Adolescent; History, 21st Century

PubMed ID

42509378

Keywords

Adolescence idiopathic scoliosis; Lateral electrical surface stimulation LESS; Non-operative scoliosis management; ScoliTron™; Scoliosis research society

Comments

This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, which permits use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons licence, and indicate if changes were made. The images or other third party material in this article are included in the article's Creative Commons licence, unless indicated otherwise in a credit line to the material. If material is not included in the article's Creative Commons licence and your intended use is not permitted by statutory regulation or exceeds the permitted use, you will need to obtain permission directly from the copyright holder. To view a copy of this licence, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/.

Publisher's Link: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s43390-026-01510-y

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