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Research

Scientist Using Microscope

This research page is split into two. The top contains links to open-access research. The bottom represents restricted-access research.

Open accesss

How effective is helmet therapy?

How effective is helmet therapy compared to other therapies?

Elwood ET, Petronio J, Wood RJ, ‘Parental Satisfaction With the CranioCap: A New Cranial Orthosis for Deformational Plagiocephaly’ The Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Journal 2005;42(4):340-343

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Lee RP, Teichgraeber JF, Baumgartner JE, Waller AL, English JD, Lasky RE, Miller CC, Gateno J, Xia JJ, ‘Long-Term Treatment Effectiveness of Molding Helmet Therapy in the Correction of Posterior Deformational Plagiocephaly: A Five-Year Follow-Up’ The Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Journal 2008;45(3):240-245

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Yoo HS, Rah DK, Kim YO, ‘Outcome Analysis of Cranial Molding Therapy in Nonsynostotic Plagiocephaly’ Arch Plast Surg 2012;39:338-344

Kim SY, Park MS, Yang JI, Yim SY, ‘Comparison of Helmet Therapy and Counter Positioning for Deformational Plagiocephaly’ Ann Rehabil Med 2013;37(6):785-795

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What is being compared? 7.69 mm improvement in (mean) diagonal difference of 21 infants treated with a helmet, compared with 1.6 mm improvement in (mean) diagonal difference of 6 infants treated without a helmet.

Restricted Access

Other research is available on-line PPV. It can also be accessed from The Royal Society of Medicine library. The library is a stone’s throw away from the clinic. Details of temporary membership can be found by clicking here. (Note, the library does not hold The Journal of Craniofacial Surgery.)

How effective is helmet therapy compared to other therapies?

Ho JPK et al. ‘Use of external orthotic helmet therapy in positional plagiocephaly’ J Clin Neurosci (2016), http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jocn.2015.12.023

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Wilbrand JF, Lautenbacher N, Pons-Kühnemann J, Streckbein P, Kähling C, Reinges M, Howaldt H-P, Wilbrand M, ‘Treated Versus Untreated Positional Head Deformity’ J Craniofac Surg 2016;27(1):13-18

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What is being compared? 0.447 cm improvement in (mean) asymmetry of 17 infants treated with a helmet, compared with 0.077 cm improvement in (mean) asymmetry of 22 infants treated without a helmet.

What is being compared? 1.35 cm improvement in (mean) asymmetry of 40 infants treated with a helmet, compared with 0.01 cm improvement in (mean) asymmetry of 41 infants treated without a helmet. Whereas most final measurements are taken at completion of treatment or at 18 months of age (whichever is sooner), these final measurements were taken closer to 5 years of age.

Steinberg JP, Rawlani R, Humphries LS, Rawlani V, Vicari FA. ‘Effectiveness of Conservative Therapy and Helmet Therapy for Positional Cranial Deformation’ Plast Reconstr Surg 2015;135(3):833-842

Kluba S, Kraut W, Calgeer B, Reinert S, Krimmel M, ‘Treatment of positional plagiocephaly – Helmet or no helmet?’ J Craniomaxillofac Surg 2014;42:668-688

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What is being compared? 95.0% of 1531 infants treated with a helmet achieve complete* correction, compared with 77.1% of 3381 infants treated without a helmet.
* complete when diagonal difference < 5mm and/or width-length ratio < 0.85.

What is being compared? 68% improvement in (median) asymmetry of 62 infants treated with a helmet, compared with 31% improvement in (median) asymmetry of 66 infants treated without a helmet.

Lipera, AB, Gordon S, Darvann TA, Hermann NV, Van Pelt AE, Naidoo SD, Govier D, Kane AA. ‘Helmet Versus Active Repositioning for Plagiocephaly: A Three-Dimensional Analysis’ Pediatrics 2010;126;e936-e945

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What is being compared? 2.0% improvement in (mean) asymmetry of posterior area of 35 infants treated with a helmet, compared with 1.1% improvement in (mean) asymmetry of posterior area of 35 infants treated without a helmet.

Click here to see research pre-2010

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