Analysis of radiological measurement parameters that can predict the type of treatment to be applied in odontoid fractures: Clinical research.

Introduction: Although various conservative and surgical treatment methods have been proposed, treatment options for patients with odontoid fractures remain controversial. This study was conducted to determine some demographic and radiological measurement parameters that can predict treatment options in patients with odontoid fractures. Materials and Methods: The patients were separated into the surgery (-) group (n = 9) and the surgery (+) group (n = 10). Patient data were recorded of age, gender, type of odontoid fracture, morphological measurement results obtained from computed tomography images, treatment regimens, duration of stay in the hospital, and mortality rate. In the operating room, a halo-vest corset or Philadelphia-type cervical collar was applied to the surgery (-) patients after the reduction of the fracture under fluoroscopy. Anterior odontoid lag screw fixation was performed on surgery (+) patients. Results: The amount of displacement of the fractured odontoid, the distance between the C1 vertebra and the odontoid process, the angle between the posterior wall of the odontoid process and the posterior wall of the clivus, the slip angle, and the anterior to posterior width of the spinal canal were not different between the groups. No difference was determined between the groups in respect of the amount of lateral displacement of the odontoid process in the spinal canal in the axial plane and the angle of the fractured odontoid process with the C2 vertebral body. Conclusion: This preliminary study showed that the demographic data and radiological measurement parameters analyzed in the present study could not be used as predictive markers either in decision-making for treatment modality or mortality risk.

Investigation of the Efficacy of Bilateral Osteoligamentous Decompression via Hemilaminectomy in Cervical Spondylotic Myelopathy: A Clinical Study.

OBJECTIVE: Cervical stability may deteriorate and kyphotic spinal deformities may develop in cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM) after laminectomy or laminoplasty. This study aimed to investigate the therapeutic efficacy of the "bilateral osteoligamentous decompression via unilateral hemilaminectomy approach (UHBOLD)" technique in CSM patients. METHODS: The study included 34 adult patients who underwent UHBOLD surgery for CSM between 2016 and 2022. A record was made for all patients of age, gender, number of operated levels, preoperative and postoperative long-term follow-up VAS scores, Nurick grade values and mJOA scores, kyphosis angles measured on X-ray, and spinal canal areas measured on T2-weighted MR axial images. RESULTS: Preoperative VAS scores of the patients were 6 (4-9), Nurick grade values were 3 (2-5), mJOA scores were 10.50 ± 3.42, kyphosis angles were -13.34 ± 13.69° and spinal canal areas were 87.11 ± 28.30 mm2. In postoperative long-term follow-up of these patients, VAS scores were 2 (1-5), Nurick grade values were 1 (0-5), mJOA scores were 13.94 ± 3.09, kyphosis angles were -15.07 ± 12.78° and spinal canal areas were 149.65 ± 42.57 mm2. A statistically significant difference was determined between the preoperative and the postoperative long-term follow-up VAS scores, Nurick grade values, mJOA scores, and spinal canal areas (P < 0.001). Kyphosis angles were not different (P = 0.198), and no instability was observed in any patient in long-term follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: The UHBOLD technique performed in multilevel CSM patients did not cause any change in cervical lordosis angle in long-term follow-up, did not cause cervical kyphotic deformity or cervical instability, and significantly improved Nurick grade values, and VAS and mJOA scores.

Cerebral ischaemia/reperfusion injury could be managed by using tramadol.

OBJECTIVES: No valid treatment modality that will repair stroke damage and provide neurological recovery has yet been identified in literature. Studies demonstrated that adequate quality of life could be provided if post-stroke pain could be treated sufficiently and timely. Besides its pain relief effects, tramadol has oedema-reducing and anti-inflammatory properties. With these in mind, this study investigated the influence of tramadol in acute and/or chronic ischaemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury. METHODS: Putting aside the Control group, 23 Wistar albino rats were distributed to four groups to investigate the acute (Sham-A, TR-A) and chronic (Sham-C, TR-C) periods of I/R injury, and temporary aneurysm clips were applied to their internal carotid arteries for 30 min. Four hours after clippage, tramadol was administered to animals of TR-A and TR-C groups intraperitoneally. After sacrificing all animals, pyknotic and necrotic neuronal cells in hippocampal cornu ammonis (CA)1, CA2, CA3 and parietal cortical regions were counted, and perivascular oedema, intercellular organization disorder (IOD) and inflammatory cell infiltration were scaled histopathologically. Additionally, tissue interleukin (IL)-1ß, IL-10, malondialdehyde, nitric oxide, tumour necrosis factor-α, caspase-3, beclin-1, Atg12, LC3II/LC3I levels were measured biochemically. RESULTS: Tramadol could minimize perivascular oedema, IOD, parietal and hippocampal neuronal necrosis, inflammatory cell infiltration in both periods of I/R injury histopathologically. Apart from inhibiting apoptosis and enhancing autophagy, tramadol had no influence on any other biochemical result. DISCUSSION: Tramadol can ameliorate the histopathological structure of ischaemic tissue in both periods of I/R injury in rat. We suggest further research investigating various dosages with different administration methods of tramadol in stroke should be conducted by adopting different explorative techniques.

Effects of Sulphasalazine in Cerebral Ischemia Reperfusion Injury in Rat.

BACKGROUND: Management of cerebral ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury is still difficult process today. AIMS OF THE STUDY: Aim of present study was to investigate therapeutic properties of sulfasalazine in cerebral transient I/R injury in rat. METHODS: Except Control group (n = 5), 20 Wistar albino rats were allocated for acute and chronic stage investigation of I/R injury, and temporary aneurysm clips were attempted to both internal carotid arteries for thirty min. Four hours later, 40 mg/kg once a day sulfasalazine was administered to animals of SL-A and SL-C groups, orally. Animals were decapitated, following which pyknotic and necrotic neuronal cells, perivascular edema, irregularities of intercellular organization (IIO) of hippocampal regions, and cortical necrotic neurons of parietal lobe were counted or scaled histopathologically. Tissue malonyldialdehyde (MDA), myeloperoxidation (MPO), total nitrite/nitrate (NO), interleukin 1-beta (IL-1ß), interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) level values were evaluated biochemically. RESULTS: Sulfasalazine could reduce perivascular edema, IIO, cortical and hippocampal neuronal cell death in both stages. It could decrease MDA in acute stage, but not reduce IL-1ß, IL-6, MPO, NO, and TNFα levels. It could increase IL-1ß levels in chronic stage but not affect to IL-6, MPO, MDA, NO, TNF-α levels. CONCLUSION: Sulfasalazine could improve histopathological architecture of hypoxic tissue in both stages of I/R injury in rat. It could inhibit lipid peroxidation cascades just in acute stage. These results suggested that therapeutic mechanisms of sulfasalazine in cerebral I/R injury should be investigated by using more specific laboratory methods in future studies.