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Bracing for excellence

An HSC Foundation grant, funded by donors from throughout Manitoba, is helping Health Sciences Centre deliver better care to patients recovering from spine surgery, or dealing within juries or illnesses affecting the spine.

The $200,000+ grant allowed HSC to acquire a suite of equipment to produce thoracic-lumbar-sacral orthoses (TLSOs) in-house. A TLSO is a customized hard plastic body brace that stabilizes a patient’s spine. In-house fabrication allows for faster and more accurate production.

“The equipment is a home run, and we are seeing even better results than we expected,” says Nick Gilmour, an orthotist at HSC.

Prior to the acquisition of the required software, a specialized scanner, an infrared oven, and a 3D carver, the TLSOs had to be produced in Boston while patients waited in a hospital bed at HSC. Production and delivery were expensive, and there were often shipping delays—especially around Christmas and American Thanksgiving.

“Now, thanks to the HSC Foundation and its donors, we can produce a brace in less than a day. We’ve even produced one in under four hours,” says Gilmour. “This means a shorter hospital stay and better overall care for the patient.”

With the cost savings per unit and the reduced number of hospital days required for most patients, Gilmour notes, the equipment paid for itself quickly.

“My colleagues and I are very grateful,” he says. “I want Foundation donors to know that this grant helps us provide much better care.”

To support the HSC Foundation so that all Manitobans can get the best care possible, please visit www.hscfoundation.mb.ca/donate/ or call 204-515-5612 or (toll-free) 1-800-679-8493.