The guiding value of ultrasound-guided selective nerve root block in the surgical treatment of multilevel lumbar degeneration / 国际外科学杂志

Objective:To evaluate the guiding value of ultrasound-guided selective nerve root block in the surgical treatment of multilevel lumbar degeneration.Methods:Retrospective case-control study was used. Clinical data of 47 patients with multi-level lumbar degeneration who underwent decompression surgery in Honghui Hospital, Xi′an Jiaotong University from January 2019 to December 2021 were retrospectively analyzed. They were divided into nerve root block group ( n=22)and non-nerve root block group( n=25) according to whether ultrasound-guided selective nerve root block was performed before decompression surgery. The operation time, intraoperative blood loss, number of decompression laminae, postoperative drainage volume and length of stay of the two groups were recorded and compared. The visual analogue scale of low back pain, the visual analogue scale (VAS) of leg pain, the Japanese orthopaedic association (JOA) score and Oswestry disability index (ODI) score were all compared before surgery and during follow-up between the two groups. Measurement data with normal distribution were represented as mean±standard deviation( ± s), and the comparison between groups was conducted using the paired t-test. Chi-square test was used for counting data. Results:All 47 patients successfully completed the operation without any serious complications such as neurovascular injury. All patients were followed up for (27.6±7.5)months. In the nerve root block group, the operation time, intraoperative blood loss, number of decompression laminae, postoperative drainage volume and hospital stay were (90.5±12.6) min, (110.5±15.8) mL, 1.2±0.8, (85.6±15.8) mL, (6.2±2.8) d, respectively. In the non-root block group, they were (190.6±25.5) min, (450.5±24.8) mL, 3.8±1.6, (210.5±16.8) mL, (9.5±2.2) d, respectively. The above indexes in the nerve root closure group were less than those in the non-root closure group, and the difference was significant between the two groups ( P< 0.05). The scores of VAS of low back pain and leg pain, JOA and ODI in both groups were significantly improved after surgery and during the follow-up period when compared with those of pre-operation ( P< 0.05). The VAS scores of low back pain on the 3rd day, 6 months after operation and at the last follow-up in the nerve block group were 3.2±1.4, 1.4±0.8, 0.5±0.2, the JOA scores were 15.8±4.3, 21.3±5.6, 25.6±1.4, and the ODI scores were 50.6±10.3, 22.8±7.8, 16.8±4.2, respectively. The VAS scores of low back pain on the 3rd day, 6 months after operation and at the last follow-up in the non-nerve block group were 5.1±1.8, 3.4±1.2, 1.8±0.5, the JOA scores were 14.1±4.8, 20.5±3.2, 24.2±1.8, and the ODI scores were 60.5±9.8, 31.6±8.2 and 21.3±5.5, respectively. The difference between the two groups was statistically significant ( P<0.05). However, there was no statistical difference in the VAS scores of leg pain between the two groups after surgery and during follow-up ( P>0.05). At the last follow-up, the internal fixation position of the two groups was good, no loosening and displacement, and bone graft fusion was good. Conclusion:For patients with multi-level lumbar degeneration, ultrasound-guided selective nerve root block before surgery can identify the responsible segment, and selective decompression and fusion based on this can effectively reduce surgical trauma, while improving patients′ back and leg pain and physical function, which has important surgical guidance value.

Clinical guidelines for the treatment of ankylosing spondylitis combined with lower cervical fracture in adults (version 2024) / 中华创伤杂志

Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) combined with lower cervical fracture is often categorized into unstable fracture, with a high incidence of neurological injury and a high rate of disability and morbidity. As factors such as shoulder occlusion may affect the accuracy of X-ray imaging diagnosis, it is often easily misdiagnosed at the primary diagnosis. Non-operative treatment has complications such as bone nonunion and the possibility of secondary neurological damage, while the timing, access and choice of surgical treatment are still controversial. Currently, there are no clinical practice guidelines for the treatment of AS combined with lower cervical fracture with or without dislocation. To this end, the Spinal Trauma Group of Orthopedics Branch of Chinese Medical Doctor Association organized experts to formulate Clinical guidelines for the treatment of ankylosing spondylitis combined with lower cervical fracture in adults ( version 2024) in accordance with the principles of evidence-based medicine, scientificity and practicality, in which 11 recommendations were put forward in terms of the diagnosis, imaging evaluation, typing and treatment, etc, to provide guidance for the diagnosis and treatment of AS combined with lower cervical fracture.

Long-term efficacy of self-designed posterior atlas polyaxial screw-plate in the treatment of unstable atlas fracture / 中华创伤杂志

Objective:To investigate the long-term efficacy of self-designed posterior atlas polyaxial screw-plate in the treatment of unstable atlas fracture.Methods:A retrospective case series study was conducted to analyze the clinical data of 20 patients with unstable atlas fracture who were admitted to Affiliated Honghui Hospital of Xi′an Jiaotong University from January 2011 to April 2013, including 14 males and 6 females, aged 23-60 years [(42.7±8.6)years]. All the patients were treated with internal fixation using self-designed posterior atlas polyaxial screw-plate. The operation time and intraoperative bleeding volume were recorded. The fracture reduction was evaluated by CT scan at 3 days after surgery. The bone healing was observed by X-ray (anterior-posterior and lateral views of the cervical spine) and CT scan at 9 months after surgery. The delayed spinal cord injuries were evaluated by Frankel grade at 1 and 2 years after surgery and at the last follow-up. The Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) before surgery, at 3 months, 1 year, 2 years after surgery and at the last follow-up were compared. The axial rotation, flexion and extension range of the cervical spine at 3 months, 1 year, 2 years after surgery and at the last follow-up were compared. Intraoperative and postoperative complications were observed.Results:All the patients were followed up for 121-148 months [(135.0±6.8)months]. The operation duration was 68-122 minutes [(86.0±14.1)minutes], with the intraoperative blood loss of 90-400 ml [(120.0±67.9)ml]. The CT scan of the cervical spine at 3 days after surgery showed all satisfactory fracture reduction. Satisfactory bone reunion was observed at 9 months after surgery. All patients were scaled as Frankel grade E at 1 year, 2 years and at the last follow-up after surgery, with no delayed spinal cord injuries observed. The VAS scores of the cervical spine at 3 months, 1 year, 2 years after surgery and at the last follow-up were 2.0(1.3, 3.0)points, 1.0(1.0, 1.8)points, 1.0(0.3, 1.0)points and 1.0(0.3, 1.0)points, which were significantly lower than that before surgery [7.0(6.0, 7.8)points] ( P<0.05), with significantly lower scores at 1-, 2-year after surgeny and at the last follow-up than at 3 months after surgery ( P<0.05). There were no significant differences among the other time points ( P>0.05). The axial rotation ranges of the cervical spine were (103.0±8.3)°, (128.3± 11.4)° and (129.8±13.6)° at 1 year, 2 years after surgery and at the last follow-up respectively, which were significantly higher than that at 3 months after surgery [(85.3±7.0)°] ( P<0.05); It was further improved at 2 years after surgery and at the last follow-up compared with that at 1 year after surgery ( P<0.05), with no significant difference at the last follow-up compared with that at 2 years after surgery ( P>0.05). The flexion and extension range of the cervical spine at 1 year, 2 years after surgery and at the last follow-up were (65.5±4.8)°, (78.3±6.5)° and (79.3±6.9)° respectively, which were significantly higher than that at 3 months after surgery [(54.3±4.4)°] ( P<0.05); It was further improved at 2 years after surgery and at the last follow-up compared with that at 1 year after surgery ( P<0.05), with no significant difference between the last follow-up and 2 years after surgery ( P>0.05). No intraoperative injuries such as arteriovenous injury were observed. No incision infection or dehiscence occurred after surgery, with no complications caused by long-term bed rest such as lung or urinary tract infection, pressure sore formation or deep vein thrombosis occurred. No loosening or breakage of the screw and atlas plate was observed at the long-term follow-up. One patient had mild cervical pain, snap during rotation, and limited range of motion at the last follow-up. Conclusion:Self-designed posterior atlas polyaxial screw-plate has merits including small surgical wounds, satisfactory reduction, solid fixation, obvious pain relief, effective preservation of the previous cervical motion, few complications, and satisfactory long-term efficacy in the treatment of unstable atlas fracture.

Clinical guideline for diagnosis and treatment of adult ankylosing spondylitis combined with thoracolumbar fracture (version 2023) / 中华创伤杂志

Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) combined with spinal fractures with thoracic and lumbar fracture as the most common type shows characteristics of unstable fracture, high incidence of nerve injury, high mortality and high disability rate. The diagnosis may be missed because it is mostly caused by low-energy injury, when spinal rigidity and osteoporosis have a great impact on the accuracy of imaging examination. At the same time, the treatment choices are controversial, with no relevant specifications. Non-operative treatments can easily lead to bone nonunion, pseudoarthrosis and delayed nerve injury, while surgeries may be failed due to internal fixation failure. At present, there are no evidence-based guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of AS combined with thoracic and lumbar fracture. In this context, the Spinal Trauma Academic Group of Orthopedics Branch of Chinese Medical Doctor Association organized experts to formulate the Clinical guideline for the diagnosis and treatment of adult ankylosing spondylitis combined with thoracolumbar fracture ( version 2023) by following the principles of evidence-based medicine and systematically review related literatures. Ten recommendations on the diagnosis, imaging evaluation, classification and treatment of AS combined with thoracic and lumbar fracture were put forward, aiming to standardize the clinical diagnosis and treatment of such disorder.

Evidence-based guideline for clinical diagnosis and treatment of acute combination fractures of the atlas and axis in adults (version 2023) / 中华创伤杂志

The acute combination fractures of the atlas and axis in adults have a higher rate of neurological injury and early death compared with atlas or axial fractures alone. Currently, the diagnosis and treatment choices of acute combination fractures of the atlas and axis in adults are controversial because of the lack of standards for implementation. Non-operative treatments have a high incidence of bone nonunion and complications, while surgeries may easily lead to the injury of the vertebral artery, spinal cord and nerve root. At present, there are no evidence-based Chinese guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of acute combination fractures of the atlas and axis in adults. To provide orthopedic surgeons with the most up-to-date and effective information in treating acute combination fractures of the atlas and axis in adults, the Spinal Trauma Group of Orthopedic Branch of Chinese Medical Doctor Association organized experts in the field of spinal trauma to develop the Evidence-based guideline for clinical diagnosis and treatment of acute combination fractures of the atlas and axis in adults ( version 2023) by referring to the "Management of acute combination fractures of the atlas and axis in adults" published by American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS)/Congress of Neurological Surgeons (CNS) in 2013 and the relevant Chinese and English literatures. Ten recommendations were made concerning the radiological diagnosis, stability judgment, treatment rules, treatment options and complications based on medical evidence, aiming to provide a reference for the diagnosis and treatment of acute combination fractures of the atlas and axis in adults.

Efficacy comparison of robot-assisted and free-hand long segment screw fixation combined with wedge osteotomy in the treatment of type IV chronic symptomatic osteoporotic thoracolumbar fractures / 中华创伤杂志

Objective:To compare the clinical efficacies of robot-assisted and free-hand long segment screw fixation combined with wedge osteotomy in the treatment of type IV chronic symptomatic osteoporotic thoracolumbar fractures (CSOVCFs).Methods:A retrospective cohort study was conducted to analyze the clinical data of 72 patients with type IV CSOVCFs who were admitted to Honghui Hospital of Xi′an Jiaotong University from May 2019 to December 2021, including 22 males and 46 females; aged 61-82 years [(71.2±12.3)years]. Fracture segments were located at T 11-T 12 in 37 patients and at L 1-L 2 in 31. A total of 32 patients were treated with robot-assisted long segment screw fixation combined with wedge osteotomy (robot group) and 36 with free-hand long segment screw fixation combined with wedge osteotomy (free-hand group). The operation time, intraoperative bleeding volume, dosage of radiation exposure, intraoperative needle adjustment, time of single pedicle screw placement and accuracy of pedicle screw placement were compared between the two groups. The kyphotic Cobb angle, sagittal vertical axis (SVA), thoracic kyphosis (TK), lumbar kyphosis (LL), visual analogue scale (VAS) and Oswestry disability index (ODI) were measured preoperatively, at 3 days postoperatively and at the last follow-up. The incidences of facet joint violation, deviation in guide needle placement, cerebrospinal leak and proximal junctional kyphosis (PJK) were observed. Results:All patients were followed up for 12-26 months [(18.2±5.1)months]. The operation time and time of single pedicle screw placement showed no significant differences between the two groups (all P>0.05). The intraoperative bleeding volume was (502.5±58.3)ml in the robot group, less than that in the free-hand group [(690.2±45.9)ml]. The dosage of radiation exposure was (32.6±10.8)μSv in the robot group, lower than that in the free-hand group [(48.6±15.2)μSv]. The intraoperative needle adjustment was (2.1±0.3)times in the robot group, higher than that in the free-hand group [(20.7±5.8)times], and the accuracy of pedicle screw placement was 99.7% in the robot group, less than that in the free-hand group (91.8%) (all P<0.01). Compared with pre-operation, the kyphotic Cobb angle, SVA, TK and LL were significantly improved in both groups at postoperative 3 days and at the last follow-up (all P<0.05). Compared with postoperative 3 days, the kyphotic Cobb angle, SVA and TK were increased at the last follow-up within the two groups, but with no significant differences (all P>0.05). Compared with postoperative 3 days, the LL was decreased within the two groups at the last follow-up, but with no significant differences (all P>0.05). The VAS and ODI in the two groups were significantly lower at postoperative 3 days and at the last follow-up when compared with those before operation (all P<0.05), and both values were significantly lower at the last follow-up than those at postoperative 3 days (all P<0.05). There were no significant differences in the VAS or ODI at all time points between the two groups (all P>0.05). The incidence of facet joint violation in the robot group was 1.6%, markedly lower than that in the free-hand group (9.6%) ( P<0.01). The incidences of deviation in guide needle placement, cerebrospinal leak and PJK showed no differences between the two groups (all P>0.05). Conclusion:For type IV CSOVCFs, the robot-assisted long segment screw fixation combined with wedge osteotomy can better reduce intraoperative blood loss, decrease radiation exposure, improve accuracy of pedicle screw placement, and reduce facet joint violation when compared with free-hand long segment screw fixation combined with wedge osteotomy.

Robot-assisted percutaneous vertebroplasty combined with pediculoplasty in treating symptomatic chronic thoracolumbar osteoporotic vertebral fracture without neurological impairment / 中华创伤杂志

Objective:To compare the efficacy of robot-assisted and conventional fluoroscopy-guided percutaneous vertebroplasty (PVP) combined with pediculoplasty in treating symptomatic chronic thoracolumbar osteoporotic vertebral fracture (SCOVF) without neurological symptoms.Methods:A retrospective cohort study was used to analyze the clinical data of 120 patients with thoracolumbar SCOVF without neurological symptoms, who were admitted to Honghui Hospital Affiliated to Xi′an Jiaotong University from January 2015 to January 2020. The patients included 34 males and 86 females, aged 63-85 years [(72.9±5.7)years]. All patients were treated with PVP combined with pediculoplasty. A total of 87 patients were treated with robot-assisted and C-arm X-ray machine guided puncture (robot group) and 33 patients with C-arm X-ray machine fluoroscopic-guided puncture (conventional group). The operation time, amount of bone cement injection and puncture accuracy were compared between the two groups. The results of vertebral body index, Cobb angle, visual analogue scale (VAS), and Oswestry disability index (ODI) were also compared before operation, at 1 day and 1 year after operation and at the final follow-up. Complications such as bone cement leakage and displacement were observed.Results:All patients were followed up for 24-36 months [(29.4±3.4)months]. The operation time was (85.2±10.5)minutes in the robot group, significantly longer than (37.2±3.7)minutes in the conventional group ( P<0.01). The amount of bone cement injection was (5.0±0.7)ml in the robot group, significantly less than (5.3±0.8)ml in the conventional group ( P<0.05). The puncture accuracy in the robot group was 95.4% (83/87), significantly higher than 81.8% (27/33) in the conventional group ( P<0.01). There were no significant differences in vertebral body index, Cobb angle, VAS or ODI between the two groups before operation (all P>0.05). The values of vertebral body index were 87.1±4.5, 86.9±4.3, 86.8±4.3 in the robot group at 1 day after operation, 1 year after operation and the final follow up, respectively, which were significantly higher than 83.6±4.4, 84.1±3.8, 84.4±3.9 in the conventional group (all P<0.01). There were no significant differences in Cobb angle or ODI between the two groups at 1 day after operation, 1 year after operation or the final follow-up (all P>0.05). The values of VAS were (2.9±1.0)points, (1.8±0.7)points, (1.8±0.7)points in the robot group at 1 day after operation, 1 year after operation and the final follow-up, respectively, which were significantly lower than (4.4±1.1)points, (3.1±0.8)points, (3.0±0.9)points in the conventional group (all P<0.01). The bone cement leakage occurred in 7 patients in the robot group [8.0%(7/87)] and in 10 in the conventional group [30.3%(10/33)] ( P<0.01). No delayed bone cement displacement [0.0%(0/87)] occurred in the robot group from 1 day after operation to the final follow-up, but 3 patients [9.1%(3/33)] were noted in the conventional group ( P<0.05). Conclusion:Both robot-assisted and conventional fluoroscopy-guided PVP combined with pediculoplasty have satisfactory effect for SCOVF patients without neurological impairment, but the robot-assisted one has the advantages of higher puncture accuracy, more satisfactory vertebral height recovery, more rapid pain relief, lower incidence of bone cement leakage and effective avoidance of cement displacement.

Progress in the treatment of diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis combined with thoracolumbar fracture / 国际外科学杂志

Diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis(DISH) is a kind of ankylosing spinal disease, which usually occurs in the middle-aged and elderly. It is mainly manifested as ossification and calcification of ligaments and tendon attachment points. It is a bone disease that mainly involves the spine but is not accompanied by severe intervertebral disc degeneration or sacroiliac joint and intervertebral facet joint ankylosis. DISH combined with thoracolumbar fracture has a high rate of delayed diagnosis and neurological deterioration, so this kind of fracture should be diagnosed and treated in time. However, there are different conclusions on the choice of treatment methods and postoperative efficacy, and there are still disputes in some academic aspects.The author consulted the relevant literature and reviewed the treatment methods of DISH combined with thoracolumbar fracture in order to provide reference for the clinical treatment of this kind of fracture.

Effectiveness of one-stage posterior eggshell osteotomy and long-segment pedicle screw fixation for ankylosing spondylitis kyphosis combined with acute thoracolumbar vertebral fracture / 中国修复重建外科杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To explore the safety and effectiveness of one-stage posterior eggshell osteotomy and long-segment pedicle screw fixation in the treatment of ankylosing spondylitis kyphosis combined with acute thoracolumbar vertebral fracture.@*METHODS@#A clinical data of 20 patients with ankylosing spondylitis kyphosis combined with acute thoracolumbar spine fracture, who were treated with one-stage posterior eggshell osteotomy and long-segment pedicle screw fixation between April 2016 and January 2022, was retrospectively analyzed. Among them, 16 cases were male and 4 cases were female; their ages ranged from 32 to 68 years, with an average of 45.9 years. The causes of injury included 10 cases of sprain, 8 cases of fall, and 2 cases of falling from height. The time from injury to operation ranged from 1 to 12 days, with an average of 7.1 days. The injured segment was T 11 in 2 cases, T 12 in 2 cases, L 1 in 6 cases, and L 2 in 10 cases. X-ray film and CT showed that the patients had characteristic imaging manifestations of ankylosing spondylitis, and the fracture lines were involved in the anterior, middle, and posterior columns and accompanied by different degrees of kyphosis and vertebral compression; and MRI showed that 12 patients had different degrees of nerve injuries. The operation time, intraoperative bleeding, intra- and post-operative complications were recorded. The visual analogue scale (VAS) score and Oswestry disability index (ODI) were used to evaluate the low back pain and quality of life, and the American spinal cord injury association (ASIA) classification was used to evaluate the neurological function. X-ray films were taken, and local Cobb angle (LCA) and sagittal vertical axis (SVA) were measured to evaluate the correction of the kyphosis.@*RESULTS@#All operations were successfully completed and the operation time ranged from 127 to 254 minutes (mean, 176.3 minutes). The amount of intraoperative bleeding ranged from 400 to 950 mL (mean, 722.5 mL). One case of dural sac tear occurred during operation, and no cerebrospinal fluid leakage occurred after repair, and the rest of the patients did not suffer from neurological and vascular injuries, cerebrospinal fluid leakage, and other related complications during operation. All incisions healed by first intention without infection or fat liquefaction. All patients were followed up 8-16 months (mean, 12.5 months). The VAS score, ODI, LCA, and SVA at 3 days after operation and last follow-up significantly improved when compared with those before operation ( P<0.05), and the difference between 3 days after operation and last follow-up was not significant ( P>0.05). The ASIA grading of neurological function at last follow-up also significantly improved when compared with that before operation ( P<0.05), including 17 cases of grade E and 3 cases of grade D. At last follow-up, all bone grafts achieved bone fusion, and no complications such as loosening, breaking of internal fixation, and pseudoarthrosis occurred.@*CONCLUSION@#One-stage posterior eggshell osteotomy and long-segment pedicle screw fixation is an effective surgical procedure for ankylosing spondylitis kyphosis combined with acute thoracolumbar vertebral fracture. It can significantly relieve patients' clinical symptoms and to some extent, alleviate the local kyphotic deformity.

Reliability testing and clinical effectiveness evaluation of the scoring and classification system for osteoporotic thoracolumbar fracture / 中华创伤杂志

Objective:To test and evaluate the reliability and clinical effectiveness of osteoporotic thoracolumbar fracture (OTLF) scoring and classification system.Methods:A multicenter retrospective case series study was conducted to analyze the clinical data of 530 OTLF patients admitted to 8 hospitals including Honghui Hospital Affiliated to Xi'an Jiaotong University from January 2021 to June 2022. There were 212 males and 318 females, aged 55-90 years [(72.6±10.8)years]. There were 4 patients with grade C and 18 with grade D according to American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) classification. According to the osteoporotic thoracolumbar injury classification and severity (OTLICS) score, all patients had an OTLICS score over 4 points and required surgical treatment. Among them, 410 patients had acute symptomatic OTLF (ASOTLF), including 24 patients with type I, 159 type IIA, 47 type IIB, 31 type IIC, 136 type IIIA, 8 type IIIB, 2 type IV (absence of neurological symptoms) and 3 type IV (presence of neurological symptoms), and 120 patients had chronic symptomatic OTLF (CSOTLF), including 62 patients with type I, 21 type II, 17 type III, 3 type IV (reducible under general anesthesia), 9 type IV (not reducible under general anesthesia), 1 type V (reducible under general anesthesia), 5 type V (presence of neurological symptoms), and 2 type V (not reducible under general anesthesia). Surgical procedures included percutaneous vertebroplasty (PVP), positional repositioning plus PVP, percutaneous kyphoplasty (PKP), posterior open reduction combined with bone graft fusion and bone cement augmented screw internal fixation, posterior open reduction combined with decompression, bone graft fusion and bone cement augmented screw internal fixation, and posterior open reduction combined with osteotomy and orthopedics, bone graft fusion and bone cement augmented screw internal fixation. A weighted Kappa was used to test the interobserver and intraobserver reliability of the OTLICS score, the ASOTLF classification, and the CSOTLF classification. The visual analog scale (VAS), Oswestry disability index (ODI), ASIA classification were compared before, at 1 month after surgery and at the last follow-up. Incidence of postoperative complications was observed.Results:The percentage of mean interobserver agreement for OTLICS staging was 93.4%, with a mean confidence Kappa value of 0.86, and the percentage of mean intraobserver agreement was 93.0%, with a mean confidence kappa value of 0.86. The percentage of mean interobserver agreement for ASOTLF staging was 94.2%, with a mean confidence Kappa value of 0.84, and the percentage of mean intraobserver agreement was 92.5%, with a mean confidence Kappa value of 0.83. The percentage of mean interobserver agreement for CSOTLF subtyping was 91.9%, with a mean confidence Kappa value of 0.80, and the percentage of mean intraobserver agreement was 91.3%, with a mean confidence Kappa value of 0.81. All the patients were followed up for 6-12 months [(9.0±2.1)months]. The VAS and ODI scores were significantly lower in patients with ASOTLF and CSOTLF classifications at 1 month after surgery and at the last follow-up than those before surgery (all P<0.05). The VAS scores in patients with ASOTLF types IIA, IIB, IIC, IIIA, and IV were significantly lower at the last follow-up than that at 1 month after surgery; the ODI scores in patients with ASOTLF types I, IIA, IIB, IIIA, IIIB and IV were significantly lower at the last follow-up than those at 1 month after surgery. The VAS scores in patients with CSOTLF types II, III, IV, and V were significantly lower at the last follow-up than those at 1 month after surgery, and the ODI scores in patients with all CSOTLF types were significantly lower at the last follow-up than those at 1 month after surgery (all P<0.05). Two patients with ASIA grade C recovered to grade D, and the rest recovered to grade E at the last follow-up ( P<0.01). No major vessel or nerve injury or internal fixation failure was found during follow-up. There were 18 patients with cement leakage, none of whom showed relevant clinical symptoms. There were 35 patients with new vertebral fractures, all of whom recovered well after symptomatic treatment. Conclusions:The OTLICS score, ASOTLF classification and CSOTLF classification have a high degree of reliability. Application of stepwise treatment for patients with different levels of injury according to the scoring and classification system can reduce pain, promote recovery of the spinal function, and reduce complications, which is of some significance in guiding the selection of clinical treatment.

O-arm navigation system-assisted upper cervical pedicle screw internal fixation for traumatic atlantoaxial instability / 中华创伤杂志

Objective:To explore the efficacy of O-arm navigation system-assisted upper cervical pedicle screw internal fixation in the treatment of traumatic atlantoaxial instability.Methods:A retrospective cohort study was conducted to analyze the clinical data of 61 patients with atlantoaxial instability admitted to Affiliated Honghui Hospital of Xi′an Jiaotong University from January 2021 to June 2022, including 34 males and 27 females, aged 20-77 years [(50.2±13.1)years]. A total of 38 patients were treated with unarmed screw placement (unarmed group), and 23 with O-arm navigation system-assisted screw placement (navigation group). The unarmed group was divided into experienced group ( n=20) and unexperienced group ( n=18) based on the surgeons′ experience (whether they had 20 years or longer experience of spinal surgery and performed more than 100 atlantoaxial surgeries independently). The screw placement and surgical time of each group was recorded. The cervical CT scan was conducted at 7 days after surgery to evaluate the satisfaction rate of pedicle screw placement and cortical penetration rate according to Neo grading criteria. The cervical nerve function of the patients before, at 7 days after surgery and at the last follow-up was evaluated using the Japanese Orthopedic Association (JOA) score and the Neck Disability Index (NDI). The occurrence of complications was observed. Results:All patients were followed up for 9-25 months [(16.3±4.2)months]. There were no statistically significant differences in the screw placement and surgical time between the navigation group and the unarmed group (all P>0.05). The screw placement time of the navigation group was (41.0±7.8)minutes, longer than that of the experienced group [(23.6±6.8)minutes] ( P<0.01) and shorter than that of the unexperienced group [(50.1±10.1)minutes] ( P<0.05). The surgical time of the navigation group was (101.9±9.9)minutes, which was longer than that of the experienced group [(67.6±8.3)minutes] ( P<0.01) and shorter than that of the unexperienced group [(126.1±16.4)minutes] ( P<0.01). The satisfaction rate of pedicle screw placement and cortical penetration rate of the navigation group were 98.9% and 4.3%, respectively, which were better than those of the unarmed group (94.1% and 17.8%), the experienced group (96.2% and 13.8%), and the unexperienced group (91.7% and 22.2%) ( P<0.05 or 0.01). There was no statistically significant difference in JOA score or NDI before, at 7 days after surgery or at the last follow-up between the navigation group and the unarmed group, and no difference between the navigation group and the experienced group or the unexperienced group (all P>0.05). No complications such as spinal cord nervous or vascular injuries were observed during surgery in the navigation group or the unarmed group. Conclusions:Compared with the unarmed screw placement, O-arm navigation system-assisted upper cervical pedicle screw internal fixation shows no significant difference in screw placement time, surgical time, and postoperative neurological function status in the treatment of traumatic atlantoaxial instability, but has a higher accuracy in screw placement. Compared with the experienced surgeons′ unarmed screw placement, the technique also has higher screw placement accuracy but longer screw placement time and surgical time. Whereas in comparison with unexperienced surgeons′ unarmed screw placement, the technique can not only significantly improve its screw placement accuracy, while shortening screw placement time and surgical time so as to improve the surgical safety.

Physico-chemical and biological properties of different magnesium modified calcium phosphate bone cements / 中华创伤杂志

Objective:To investigate the physicochemical and biological properties of different magnesium modified calcium phosphate bone cements.Methods:The different magnesium modified calcium phosphate bone cements were divided into magnesium citrate, magnesium lactate, magnesium malate, magnesium phosphate and magnesium glycinate groups, each of which was added with different magnesium agents in the proportion of 0%, 1%, 3% and 5% of the total weight of calcium phosphate bone cements. The initial and final setting time, injectability, anti-collapse performance and compressive strength of different magnesium modified calcium phosphate bone cements were tested. Furthermore, the screened bone cement extracts were used to culture with third generation osteoblasts. Bioactivity assays were performed using the Cell Proliferation and Toxicity Assay Kit (CCK-8). Alkaline phosphatase (ALP) staining and Alizarin Red S (ARS) staining were performed on osteoblasts to observe the osteogenic activity of magnesium malate modified calcium phosphate bone cements.Results:The addition of different proportions of different magnesium agents led to the shortening of the initial and final setting time of modified calcium phosphate bone cements. Moreover, the final setting time of 5% magnesium malate modified calcium phosphate bone cements was the shortest (<40 minutes), which was significantly shorter compared with other magnesium agents in the same proportion (all P<0.05). With the addition of different magnesium agents in different proportions, the injectability of bone cements was gradually increased, and the injectability of 5% magnesium malate calcium phosphate bone cements reached the highest for (87.3±1.9)%, which was significantly increased compared with other magnesium agents in the same proportion (all P<0.05). The anti-collapse performance of bone cements was decreased with the addition of different magnesium agents in different proportions. Magnesium citrate, magnesium phosphate and magnesium glycinate modified calcium phosphate bone cements could not resist the flushing of deionized water. In particular, magnesium malate modified calcium phosphate bone cements had the best anti-collapse performance, with the maximum weight loss rate for only (9.8±2.3)% after 30 minutes of deionized water flushing, which was better than the rest of the groups (all P<0.05). The compressive strength of magnesium lactate and magnesium phosphate modified calcium phosphate bone cements showed a decrease compared with original calcium phosphate bone cements, while the compressive strength of magnesium citrate and magnesium malate modified calcium phosphate bone cements was significantly increased compared with original calcium phosphate bone cements, of which 3% magnesium malate modified calcium phosphate bone cements had the greatest compressive strength of (6.2±0.2)MPa, significantly higher than the rest of the groups (all P<0.05). The sieve test yielded magnesium malate modified calcium phosphate bone cement, which had a weight loss of (27.0±0.9)% at 35 days in vitro. The release of magnesium ions was increased with increasing magnesium malate dose in the in vitro environment of magnesium malate modified calcium phosphate bone cements in different ratios. A stable magnesium ion release was achieved within 35 days.Also, the pro-proliferative and osteogenic effects of modified calcium phosphate bone cements on osteoblasts were more obvious with increase of magnesium malate dose. For 5% magnesium malate modified calcium phosphate bone cements, the cell number, ALP staining area ratio and calcium nodule area ratio were significantly increased compared with the groups in the proportion of 0% and 1% magnesium malate (all P<0.05). Conclusions:Among magnesium citrate, magnesium lactate, magnesium malate, magnesium phosphate and magnesium glycinate modified calcium phosphate bone cements, magnesium malate modified calcium phosphate bone cements have relatively suitable setting time, excellent anti-collapse performance and mechanical strength. Meanwhile, 5% magnesium malate modified calcium phosphate bone cements have better biological activity among different ratios of magnesium malate modified calcium phosphate bone cements, suggesting a potential value for clinical application.

Clinical effects of robot-assisted minimal invasive transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion in the treatment of single-segment lumbar disc herniation / 西安交通大学学报(医学版)

【Objective】 To compare the clinical effects and screw placement accuracy for treating lumbar disc herniation between robot-assisted minimal invasive transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (RA-MIS-TLIF) and minimal invasive transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (MIS-TLIF). 【Methods】 We retrospectively recruited 69 patients with single segment lumbar disc herniation treated between January 2018 and August 2019 at Honghui Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University. There were cases of 33 RA-MIS-TLIF (RA group) and 36 MIS-TLIF (MIS-TLIF group). Subsequently, the patients’ baseline characteristics were collected, including age, gender, body mass index, complication with diabetes, duration of symptoms, operated segment, and follow-up time. We also collected perioperative parameters such as operation time, intraoperative blood loss, intraoperative fluoroscopy frequency, screw placement accuracy, wound drainage, hospitalization duration, postoperative complicatins, and fusion rate. Lower back pain, lower extremity pain visual analogue score (VAS), and lumbar Japanese Orthopaedic Association Scores (JOA) were obtained preoperatively, postoperative 3 days/6 months/12 months, and the last follow-up. 【Results】 All the procedures were successfully completed and the follow-up time was 14.82±1.83 (RA group) and 15.11±1.62 (MIS-TLIF group) months, without significant difference (P>0.05). Compared with MIS-TLIF group, RA group had less intraoperative blood loss [(116.67±18.48) min vs. (128.06±22.53) min], fluoroscopy frequency [(12.42±2.28) vs. (15.67±2.46)], screw placement accuracy (93.18% vs. 84.03%), postoperative drainage [(73.03±23.52) mL vs. (88.33±28.54) mL], and shorter hospitalization stay [(6.45±1.52)d vs. (7.69±1.85) d] (all P0.05). The VAS of lower back pain and lower extremity pain, and lumbar JOA were significantly improved after the operation (P0.05). Meanwhile, fusion rate and incidence of complications did not significantly differ between the two groups (P>0.05). 【Conclusion】 Both robot-assisted MIS-TLIF and MIS-TLIF can achieve excellent clinical effects in treating single-segment lumbar disc herniation. However, the former can improve the accuracy of screw placement and reduce intraoperative blood loss, fluoroscopy frequency, postoperative drainage and hospitalization time, which indicates a promising application.

Case series of unilateral double-channel endoscope-assisted bone graft fusion and internal fixation in the treatment of recurrent lumbar disc herniation / 西安交通大学学报(医学版)

【Objective】 To explore the clinical effect of unilateral double-channel endoscope-assisted bone graft fusion and internal fixation (ULIF) in the treatment of recurrent lumbar disc herniation. 【Methods】 The clinical data of 22 patients with recurrent lumbar disc herniation treated by ULIF in our hospital from August 2020 to October 2020 were analyzed retrospectively. The study indicators included intraoperative blood loss, operation time, bed rest time, and hospital stay. The follow-up data included visual analogue score (VAS) of low back pain, Japanese Orthopaedic Association score (JOA), OSwestry disability index (ODI) score, as well as 36 concise health status survey (SF-36) scores before operation, and 1 week and 6 months after operation. 【Results】 The average operation time was (179.15±42.06) minutes, the average intraoperative blood loss was (132.67±41.92) mL, the average bed rest time was (1.51±0.42) days, and the average hospital stay was (4.82±1.13) days. The VAS score of low back pain at 1 week after operation was lower than that before operation (all P<0.000 1), and further decreased during the follow-up. The ODI score, JOA score and SF-36 score of postoperative follow-up were significantly different from those before operation (P<0.05). The satisfaction rate was 86.4% at 1 week after operation and 95.4% at 6 months after operation. The proportion of significant clinical efficacy at 1 week after operation and postoperative 6 months was 18.2% and 63.6%, respectively. 【Conclusion】 ULIF has the advantages of short-term recovery, less intraoperative blood loss, short bed rest and hospital stay, and good medium-term clinical effect. It is a safe and reliable minimally invasive technique for spinal surgeons in the treatment of recurrent lumbar disc herniation.

Clinical effects of treatment of single-segment lumbar tuberculosis by oblique lateral interbody fusion and percutaneous pedicle screw fixation / 西安交通大学学报(医学版)

【Objective】 To investigate the clinical effects of treatment of single-segment lumbar tuberculosis by oblique lateral interbody fusion with autologous iliac bone and percutaneous pedicle screw fixation. 【Methods】 We collected the clinical data of 47 patients with lumbar tuberculosis treated in The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University from March 2017 to January 2020. Among them， 22 patients underwent oblique lateral interbody fusion with autologous iliac bone and percutaneous pedicle screw fixation （minimally invasive group） and 25 patients underwent open surgery combined anterior-debridement and posterior-fixation （control group）. The related data were collected， including gender， sex， body mass index （BMI）， systemic symptoms of tuberculosis， operation duration， intraoperative bleeding， postoperative drainage， hospital stay， complications， visual analogue score （VAS）， erythrocyte sedimentation rate （ESR）， and Oswestry disability index （ODI）. 【Results】 Baseline clinical characteristics did not significantly differ between the two groups （P>0.05）. Compared with control group， the minimally invasive group had shorter operation duration ［（188.64±18.59） min vs. （201.60±22.67） min］， less intraoperative blood loss ［（118.64±22.95） mL vs. （553.60±100.54） mL］， less postoperative drainage ［（134.55±36.48） mL vs. （291.20±61.53） mL］， and shorter hospitalization time ［（12.86±2.17） d vs. （15.80±3.03） d］ （all P0.05）. Compared with the preoperative ones， ESR， VAS score and ODI score significantly decreased and Cobb angle significantly increased in both groups （all P0.05）. 【Conclusion】 Both minimally invasive technique and open surgery can achieve excellent clinical results， but the minimally invasive technique can reduce the surgical trauma and shorten the hospitalization time.

Current development and prospect of minimally invasive lumbar surgery / 西安交通大学学报(医学版)

With the technological progress and the unremitting efforts of spinal surgeons， minimally invasive lumbar spine surgery has developed rapidly in this century and has been widely recognized and used by patients and surgeons. However， there is a lack of standardized treatment guidelines for minimally invasive lumbar surgery. Varieties of surgical techniques and treatment strategies mainly rely on training and surgical experiences. This paper reviews the development of minimally invasive lumbar surgery and discusses the future challenges and technical direction in the development of minimally invasive lumbar surgery. We hope that more spinal surgeons can master minimally invasive spinal technology and make more patients benefit from it.

Risk factors for proximal junctional kyphosis after posterior long-segment internal fixation of chronic symptomatic osteoporotic thoracolumbar fracture in the elderly / 中华创伤杂志

Objective:To investigate the risk factors associated with the occurrence of proximal junctional kyphosis (PJK) after posterior long-segment internal fixation for type IV chronic symptomatic osteoporotic thoracolumbar fracture (CSOTLF) in the elderly.Methods:A case-control study was used to analyze the clinical data of 95 elderly patients with type IV CSOTLF treated in Honghui Hospital affiliated to Xi′an Jiaotong University from January 2013 to June 2018, including 32 males and 63 females, aged from 60 to 85 years［(67.4±6.5) years］. Injured segments were T 11 in 17 patients, T 12 in 37, L 1 in 30 and L 2 in 11. All patients were treated with posterior long-segment internal fixation and divided into PJK group ( n=30) and non-PJK group ( n=65) according to whether PJK occurred after surgery. Univariate analysis was performed for the correlation of the following indices with the incidence of postoperative PJK, including general information such as gender, age, body mass index (BMI), bone mineral density (BMD), history of smoking, cause of injury, comorbidities, injury segments, American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) classification and time from injury to surgery, preoperative imaging data such as posterior junctional angle (PJA), sagittal vertical axis (SVA), pelvic incidence-lumbar lordosis difference (PI-LL), pelvic tilt (PT) and sacral slope (SS), basic surgical data such as posterior ligament complex (PLC) injury, location of upper instrumented vertebrae (UIV), location of lower instrumented vertebrae (LIV) and number of fixed segments. Multifactorial Logistic regression analysis was used to measure the independent risk factors associated with the occurrence of postoperative PJK. Results:Univariate analysis showed that the incidence of postoperative PJK was correlated with age, BMI, BMD, preoperative PJA, preoperative SVA, preoperative PI-LL, PLC injury, location of UIV, location of LIV and number of fixed segments (all P<0.05), rather than gender, history of smoking, cause of injury, comorbidities, injury segments, ASIA classification, time from injury to surgery, preoperative PT and preoperative SS (all P>0.05). Multifactorial Logistic regression analysis showed that age ≥70 years ( OR=32.28, 95% CI 3.83-272.29, P<0.01), BMI>28.0 kg/m 2 ( OR=7.88, 95% CI 1.63-37.99, P<0.01), BMD T value<-3.5 SD ( OR=20.84, 95% CI 2.36-183.93, P<0.01), preoperative PI-LL>20° ( OR=13.30, 95% CI 1.54-113.87, P<0.05) and PLC injury ( OR=13.98, 95% CI 1.37-142.34, P<0.05) were significantly associated with the occurrence of postoperative PJK. Conclusions:Age≥70 years, BMI>28 kg/m 2, BMD T value<-3.5 SD, preoperative PI-LL>20° and PLC injury are independent risk factors for the incidence of PJK after posterior long-segment internal fixation in elderly patients with type IV CSOTLF. Attention should be paid to soft tissue protection and sagittal balance restoration of the spine intraoperatively and weight control and anti-osteoporosis treatment postoperatively.

Risk factors for cement displacement after percutaneous vertebral augmentation for osteoporotic vertebral compression fracture / 中华创伤杂志

Objective:To explore the risk factors of cement displacement after percutaneous vertebral augmentation in patients with osteoporotic vertebral compression fracture (OVCF).Methods:A case-control analysis was made on clinical data of 1 538 patients with OVCF admitted to Honghui Hospital Affiliated to Xi′an Jiaotong University from January 2016 to June 2021. There were 377 males and 1 161 females, aged from 45-115 years [(71.7±10.8)years]. Percutaneous vertebroplasty (PVP) or percutaneous vertebroplasty (PKP) was performed. Patients were divided into cement displacement group ( n=78) and cement non-displacement group ( n=1 460) according to the radiographic outcomes. Factors related to cement displacement were analyzed by univariate analysis, including age, gender, body mass index (BMI), preoperative bone mineral density, underlying diseases, involved vertebral segments, surgical methods, surgical approaches, cement leakage (anterior edge), viscosity of cement, dispersion ratio of cement, degree of cement interweaving, sagittal position of cement, targeted location of cement, distance from cement to upper and lower endplates and duration of brace wearing. Independent risk factors for bone cement displacement were identified by multivariate Logistic regression analysis. Results:Univariate analysis showed that bone cement displacement was significantly correlated with BMI, preoperative bone mineral density, involved vertebral segments, operation methods, cement leakage (anterior edge), viscosity of cement, dispersion ratio of cement, degree of cement interweaving, sagittal position of cement, targeted location of cement, distance from cement to upper and lower endplates and duration of brace wearing (all P<0.05), but there was no correlation with gender, age, underlying diseases or surgicales approach (all P>0.05). Multivariate Logistic analysis showed that the preoperative bone mineral density ( OR=2.45, 95% CI 1.81-7.50, P<0.01), operation methods ( OR=4.56, 95% CI 1.86-8.44, P<0.01), cement leakage (anterior edge) ( OR=5.77, 95% CI 2.85-9.20, P<0.01), viscosity of cement ( OR=7.36, 95% CI 1.01-1.77, P<0.01), dispersion ratio of cement ( OR=6.84, 95% CI 1.69-13.39, P<0.01), degree of cement interweaving ( OR=8.97, 95% CI 2.29- 14.97, P<0.01), sagittal position of cement ( OR=6.39, 95% CI 1.06-9.47, P<0.01), targeted location of cement ( OR=7.93, 95% CI 1.64-11.84, P<0.01), distance from cement to upper and lower endplates ( OR=6.78, 95% CI 1.84-6.96, P<0.01) and duration of brace wearing ( OR=9.55, 95% CI 2.26- 9.38, P<0.01) were significantly correlated with bone cement displacement after percutaneous vertebral augmentation. Conclusion:Low bone mineral density preoperatively, PKP, cement leakage into the vertebral anterior edge, low viscosity of cement, small dispersion ratio of cement, small degree of cement interweaving, cement filling in the anterior 1/3 and anterior middle 2/3 of the vertebral body in sagittal plane, non-targeted injection of cement, long distance from cement to upper and lower endplates and short duration of brace wearing are independent risk factors of cement displacement after percutaneous vertebral augmentation for OVCF.

Interpretation of clinical guideline of surgical treatment for symptomatic chronic thoracolumbar osteoporotic vertebral fracture / 中华创伤杂志

The symptomatic chronic thoracolumbar osteoporotic vertebral fracture (SCOVF) is complex in symptom and pathological character. Various treatment methods are employed for SCOVF, but there still lacks standard criteria for proper selection. Therefore, Spine Trauma Division of Chinese Association of Orthopedic Surgeons together with the relevant experts formulated and released the clinical guideline on surgical treatment for SCOVF. Due to space limitations, the guideline did not make full elaboration and analysis on some recommendations. In this study, the authors aim to interpret some key clinical issues in the diagnosis, choice of operation methods and choice of internal fixation methods of SCOVF, hoping to help peers better grasp the connotation of the guideline and apply it correctly in clinical practice.

Curative effect of novel bone cement bridging screw system combined with percutaneous vertebroplasty in the treatment of symptomatic chronic thoracic and lumbar osteoporotic vertebral fracture with intravertebral vacuum cleft / 中华创伤杂志

Objective:To investigate the efficacy of the novel bone cement bridging screw system combined with percutaneous vertebroplasty (PVP) in the treatment of symptomatic chronic osteoporotic vertebral fractures (SCOVF) with intravertebral vacuum cleft (IVC).Methods:A retrospective case series study was used to analyze the clinical data of 27 patients with SCOVF admitted to Honghui Hospital affiliated to Xi′an Jiaotong University from August 2016 to August 2018, including 6 males and 21 females; age 69-88 years [(75.2±4.9)years]. All patients were treated by the novel bone cement bridging screw combined with PVP. The operation time, amount of bone cement injected and occurrence of bone cement leakage or displacement were recorded. The vertebral body index (VBI), vertebral body angle (VBA), two-segment Cobb angle (BCA), visual analogue score (VAS) and Oswestry disability index (ODI) were compared preoperatively, at day 1 after operation and at the last follow-up. The results of the MOS 36-item short form health survey (SF-36) and Odom′s criteria were compared preoperatively and at the last follow-up to evaluate pain relief and neurological recovery.Results:All patients were followed up for 36-48 months [(40.2±3.7)months]. The operation time was 37-70 minutes [(49.6±10.8)minutes], with the amount of bone cement injected for 3-6 ml [(34.7±0.9)ml]. Intraoperative bone cement leakage occurred in 4 patients (15%), among which 3 had lateral vertebral leakage and 1 superior intervertebral disc leakage. There was no bone cement displacement during the postoperative period to the last follow-up. The VBI, VBA, BCA, VAS and ODI were (43.1±5.9)%, (21.0±2.6)°, (45.0±6.3)°, 7.6 (7.0, 8.0)points, (79.9±7.6)% preoperatively, were (78.7±2.6)%, (12.7±2.1)°, (26.1±4.7)°, 3.2 (3.0, 4.0)points, (50.0±9.3)% at day 1 after operation, and were (78.0±2.3)%, (13.2±2.4)°, (27.1±4.9)°, 2.0 (2.0, 2.0)points, (22.9±5.1)% at the last follow-up. There were significant differences in above five measures at day 1 after operation and at the final follow-up in comparison with the preoperative values (all P<0.05), and their values measured at day 1 after operation and at the final follow-up were also significantly different (all P<0.05). The SF-36 score in physical function, role physical, body pain, vitality and social function was 45.2 (40.0, 50.0)points, 28.7 (25.0, 50.0)points, 15.9 (10.0, 22.0)points, 48.3 (40.0, 60.0)points, 29.2 (25.0, 37.5)points preoperatively, significantly different from 78.0 (75.0, 85.0)points, 75.0 (75.0, 75.0)points, 68.1 (64.0, 74.0)points, 62.0 (55.0, 70.0)points, 34.7 (25.0, 37.5)points at the last follow-up (all P<0.05). However, there were no significant differences in SF-36 before operation and at the last follow-up in dimensions of general health, emotional function and mental health (all P>0.05). According to Odom′s criteria, 19 patients were graded as excellent, 7 good, 1 fair and 0 poor, with an excellent and good rate of 96%. Conclusion:For SCOVF patients with IVC, the novel bone cement bridging screw system combined with PVP has advantages of no displacement of bone cement, satisfactory fixation, significant pain relief and satisfactory functional recovery.