Influences of Glabridin Treatment on Motor Function Recovery after Spinal Cord Injury / Influencia del Tratamiento con Glabridina en la Recuperación de la Función Motora después de una Lesión de la Médula Espinal

SUMMARY: Spinal cord injury (SCI) usually arises from compression due to traffic accidents and falls, resulting in varying degrees of movement, sensory loss, and possible paralysis. Glabridin (Gla) is a natural compound derived from licorice. It significantly affects drug development and medicine because of its anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidative, anti-tumoral, antibacterial, bone protective, cardiovascular protective, neuroprotective, liver protective, anti-obesity, and anti-diabetic properties. Various methods were employed to administer Gla to SCI mice in order to investigate its impact on the recovery of motor function. The mice were allocated into four cohorts using a randomization procedure. In the sham cohort, solely the lamina of vertebral arch was surgically exposed without causing any harm to the spinal cord tissue. Conversely, the injury cohort was subjected to spinal cord tissue damage and received no treatment thereafter. The mice in the remaining two cohorts received a dosage of 40 mg/kg Gla every two days via either intraperitoneal or intrathecal injection for a duration of 42 d following spinal cord injury. We conducted behavioral tests utilizing the Basso Mouse Scale score and gait analysis techniques. Magnetic resonance imaging and hematoxylin and eosin were employed to evaluate scar tissue formation. Systemic inflammation in mice was evaluated by employing an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Gla promoted motor function recovery in mice following SCI and improved the pathological environment in the damaged area. These alterations were more evident in mice subjected to the intrathecal injection method. Intraperitoneal injections appear to be more beneficial for controlling systemic inflammatory responses. Although more intensive studies are required, Gla exhibits promising clinical potential as a cost-effective dietary phytochemical.

La lesión de la médula espinal (LME) generalmente surge de la compresión producto de caídas y accidentes de tránsito, lo que resulta en alteraciones del movimiento, pérdida sensorial y posible parálisis. La Glabridina (Gla) es un compuesto natural derivado del regaliz, constituyéndose en un aporte significativo para el desarrollo de fármacos y la medicina debido a sus propiedades antiinflamatorias, antioxidantes, antitumorales, antibacterianas, osteoprotectoras, cardioprotectoras, neuroprotectoras, hepatoprotectoras, antidiabéticas y contra la obesidad. En el presente trabajo se emplearon varios métodos para administrar Gla a ratones con lesión medular con el fin de investigar su impacto en la recuperación de la función motora. Los ratones fueron distribuidos en cuatro grupos mediante un procedimiento de aleatorización. En el grupo simulado, únicamente se expuso quirúrgicamente la lámina del arco vertebral sin causar ningún daño al tejido de la médula espinal. Por el contrario, el grupo lesionado fue sometido a daño del tejido de la médula espinal, sin recibir tratamiento posterior. Los ratones de los dos grupos restantes recibieron una dosis de 40 mg/kg de Gla cada dos días mediante inyección intraperitoneal o intratecal durante 42 días después de la lesión de la médula espinal. Fueron realizadas pruebas de comportamiento utilizando la puntuación de la escala Basso Mouse y técnicas de análisis de la marcha. Se emplearon imágenes por resonancia magnética y se aplicaron tinciones histológicas (Hematoxilina & Eosina) en muestras para evaluar la formación de tejido cicatricial. La inflamación sistémica en ratones se evaluó mediante el empleo de un ensayo inmunoabsorbente ligado a enzimas. Gla promovió la recuperación de la función motora en ratones después de una lesión medular y mejoró el entorno patológico en el área dañada. Estas alteraciones fueron más evidentes en ratones sometidos al método de inyección intratecal. Las inyecciones intraperitoneales parecen ser más beneficiosas para controlar las respuestas inflamatorias sistémicas. Aunque se requieren estudios más intensivos, Gla exhibe un potencial clínico prometedor como fitoquímico dietético rentable.

COVID-19 associated transverse myelitis: case report / Mielitis transversa asociada a COVID-19: reporte de un caso

Abstract Background: Transverse myelitis (TM) is a demyelinating inflammatory disease that presents with motor, sensory, and autonomic dysfunction, which may be acute or subacute. COVID-19-associated TM has been described in a scarce number of patients. Clinical case: A 15-year-old previously healthy male patient with respiratory disease before his neurological deterioration presented to the emergency room after developing a complete medullary syndrome located at the cervical-dorsal level, with ascending and symmetric paraparesis that rapidly progressed to paraplegia, with sensory dysfunction from the T3 level, sphincter dysfunction and sudden ventilatory deterioration that required mechanical ventilation. Magnetic resonance imaging was compatible with acute TM. Inflammatory and non-inflammatory etiologies were discarded. In addition, a positive severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 test was obtained. Treatment included steroid pulses and plasmapheresis, with an insidious evolution. Conclusion: COVID-19 is an infrequent cause of TM and should be suspected when other etiologies have been ruled out.

Resumen Introducción: La mielitis transversa (MT) es una enfermedad inflamatoria desmielinizante que se presenta con disfunción motora, sensitiva y autonómica, de forma aguda o subaguda. La MT asociada al COVID-19 se ha escrito en un escaso número de pacientes. Caso clínico: Se presenta el caso de un masculino de 15 años previamente sano, quien cursaba con un cuadro respiratorio y que desarrollo un deterioro neurológico súbito que involucro un síndrome medular completo localizado en el nivel cérvico dorsal, con paraparesia simétrica que progreso a la paraplejia, con disfunción sensitiva desde el nivel medular de T3, disfunción de esfínteres y deterioro ventilatorio que requirió manejo avanzado de la vía aérea. Su resonancia magnética fue compatible con mielitis transversa aguda. Se descartaron causas inflamatorias y no inflamatorias de la patología. Además, se obtuvo un resultado positivo de SARS-COV-2. Se inició tratamiento con pulsos de metilprednisolona y plasmaféresis, con una evolución insidiosa. Conclusión: El COVID-19 es una causa infrecuente de MT y debe sospecharse cuando otras causas han sido descartadas.

Cuidados respiratorios en pacientes con atrofia muscular espinal para evitar el fallo ventilatorio agudo y la traqueostomía: revisión literaria y recomendaciones consensuadas / Respiratory care in patients with spinal muscular atrophy to avoid acute ventilatory failure and tracheostomy: literature review and consensus recommendations

La atrofia muscular espinal (AME) 5q es una de las enfermedades neuromusculares de mayor incidencia en la infancia. Sin embargo, la prevalencia de AME tipo 1, su forma más severa de presentación, es menor debido a muertes prematuras evitables antes de los dos años por insuficiencia ventilatoria subtratada. La irrupción de nuevos tratamientos modificadores de la enfermedad pueden cambiar dramáticamente este pronóstico y es una oportunidad para actualizar el manejo respiratorio, a través de cuidados estandarizados básicos, preferentemente no invasivos, abordando la debilidad de los músculos respiratorios, la insuficiencia tusígena y ventilatoria, con un enfoque preventivo. La siguiente revisión literaria entrega estrategias para evitar la intubación y la traqueostomía usando soporte ventilatorio no invasivo (SVN), reclutamiento de volumen pulmonar (RVP) y facilitación de la tos. Se analizan en detalle los protocolos de extubación en niños con AME tipo 1.

Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) 5q is one of the neuromuscular diseases with the highest incidence in childhood. Nevertheless, the prevalence of its most severe form SMA1 is lower due to premature preventable deaths before two years of age related to ventilatory insufficiency undertreated. The emergence of new disease-modifying treatments can dramatically change this prognosis and is an opportunity to update respiratory management, through basic standardized care, mostly non-invasive, addressing respiratory muscles pump weakness, cough and ventilatory insufficiency with a preventive approach. This literature review provides consensus recommendations for strategies to avoid intubation and tracheostomy using noninvasive ventilatory support (NVS), lung volume recruitment (LVR), and cough facilitation. Extubation protocols in children with SMA type 1 are analyzed in detail.

Nuevos paradigmas en atrofia muscular espinal de presentación temprana: siempre es bueno recordar / New paradigms in early-onset spinal muscular atrophy: a reminder is always beneficial

La atrofia muscular espinal (AME) de presentación temprana representa la variante más severa, con una expectativa de vida generalmente no mayor a dos años sin soporte ventilatorio, debido a la insuficiencia respiratoria y la dificultad para toser. Tradicionalmente, el manejo respiratorio en muchos países ha incluido la traqueostomía para proporcionar asistencia ventilatoria invasiva de manera continua. No obstante, la introducción de medicamentos de precisión ha modificado la progresión natural de la enfermedad, evidenciando mejoras significativas en los hitos motores y beneficiando también la función respiratoria. A pesar de estas mejoras, en muchos casos sigue siendo necesaria la ventilación intermitente y/o continua, además de la facilitación de la tos. Estas necesidades pueden abordarse de forma no invasiva mediante el soporte ventilatorio no invasivo (SVN), la in-exsuflación mecánica (IEM) y el reclutamiento de volumen pulmonar (RVP), que son considerados pilares del tratamiento respiratorio en enfermedades neuromusculares. Estas estrategias promueven el desarrollo y mantenimiento de la función respiratoria, reduciendo el riesgo de exacerbaciones respiratorias que podrían llevar a intubaciones evitables. Comúnmente, los pacientes con AME experimentan intentos fallidos de extubación siguiendo protocolos tradicionales, siendo catalogados como no extubables y potenciales candidatos a traqueostomía. No obstante, existen protocolos de extubación específicos para AME que emplean SVN e IEM con un alto porcentaje de éxito, evitando traqueostomías innecesarias que pueden complicar la progresión de la enfermedad y afectar la calidad de vida. El enfoque respiratorio no invasivo es una opción de manejo segura tanto en el hospital como en el hogar, ofreciendo una mejor calidad de vida para los pacientes y sus familias.

Early-onset spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is the most severe variant, with a life expectancy generally not exceeding two years without ventilatory support due to respiratory insufficiency and difficulty in coughing. Traditionally, respiratory management in many countries has included tracheostomy to provide continuous invasive ventilatory support. However, the introduction of precision medicine has altered the natural progression of the disease, showing significant improvements in motor milestones and also benefiting respiratory function. Despite these improvements, many cases still require intermittent and/or continuous ventilation, as well as cough facilitation. These needs can be addressed non-invasively through non-invasive ventilatory support (NIV), mechanical insufflation-exsufflation (MIE), and lung volume recruitment (LVR), which are considered the pillars of respiratory treatment in neuromuscular diseases. These strategies promote the development and maintenance of respiratory function, reducing the risk of respiratory exacerbations that could lead to avoidable intubations. Commonly, SMA patients experience failed extubation attempts following traditional protocols, being labeled as non-extubatable and potential candidates for tracheostomy. Nevertheless, there are specific extubation protocols for SMA that employ NIV and MIE with a high success rate, avoiding unnecessary tracheostomies that can complicate disease progression and impact quality of life. The non-invasive respiratory approach is a safe management option both in the hospital and at home, offering a better quality of life for patients and their families.

Efectividad de la anestesia subaracnoidea con morfina como tratamiento del dolor postoperatorio en cesárea

Fundamento el dolor postoperatorio se considera un dolor con limitaciones de tiempo, a menudo mal controlado. Su manejo representa un gran desafío, ya que la analgesia postoperatoria debe brindar a la madre un control adecuado de este, y a su vez facilitar la atención del bebé. Objetivo evaluar la efectividad de la anestesia subaracnoidea con morfina como tratamiento del dolor postoperatorio en cesárea. Métodos estudio descriptivo y transversal, realizado en el Hospital General Docente Martín Chang Puga, del municipio de Nuevitas, provincia de Camagüey, entre enero de 2021 y diciembre de 2022. La muestra estuvo conformada por 36 pacientes a las cuales se aplicó anestesia subaracnoidea con lidocaína hiperbárica más morfina para la cesárea. Resultados predominó la edad comprendida entre 27-31 años. El 63,9 % de las cesareadas no refirió dolor postoperatorio. Casi la mitad de la población (47,2 %) estudiada presentó efectos secundarios con el uso de la morfina intratecal, principalmente el prurito. El 80,5 % expresó satisfacción con la analgesia postoperatoria. Conclusiones la mayoría de las pacientes encontraron satisfacción con el tratamiento analgésico, a pesar la presencia de efectos adversos, de modo que el uso de morfina intratecal es efectivo en el manejo del dolor poscesárea.

Foundation Postoperative pain is considered time-limited pain, often poorly controlled. Its management represents a great challenge, since postoperative analgesia must provide the mother with adequate control, and at the same time facilitate care for the baby. Objective to evaluate the effectiveness of subarachnoid anesthesia with morphine as a treatment for postoperative pain in cesarean section. Methods descriptive and cross-sectional study carried out at the Martín Chang Puga General Teaching Hospital, in the Nuevitas municipality, Camagüey province, between January 2021 and December 2022. 36 patients to whom subarachnoid anesthesia was applied with Hyperbaric lidocaine plus morphine for cesarean section were considered as the sample. Results the age between 27-31 years predominated. 63.9% of cesarean patients did not report postoperative pain. Almost half of the population (47.2%) studied presented side effects with the use of intrathecal morphine, mainly pruritus. 80.5% expressed satisfaction with postoperative analgesia. Conclusions the majority of patients were satisfied with the analgesic treatment, despite the presence of adverse effects, so that the use of intrathecal morphine is effective in the management of post-cesarean section pain.

Effects of etomidate and sevoflurane anesthesia on cerebral oxygen metabolism, cerebral blood flow perfusion and postoperative delusion in elderly patients undergoing spinal surgery / 中国医师进修杂志

Objective:To study cerebral oxygen metabolism and cerebral blood flow in etomidate and sevoflurane anesthesia effects of perfusion and postoperative delusions.Methods:A prospective study was used. The 96 elderly patients who underwent elective spinal surgery in Guang′anmen Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences from March 2020 to May 2021 were selected as the study subjects. All patients were divided into sevoflurane group and etomidide group by random numbers table, each with 48 cases. The sevoflurane group was treated with sevoflurane inhalation for analgesia, with etomidate intravenous-controlled analgesia in the etomidate group. The recovery time of spontaneous respiratory, wake time, awake extubation time, numerical rating score (NRS; 1, 3, 6, 12, 24 and 48 h), incidence of postoperative delusion, internal jugular vein oxygen saturation (SjvO 2) were recorded. Arteriovenous oxygen content (AVDO 2) and cerebral oxygen intake rate (CERO 2) were calculated. The peak cerebral artery constriction rate (Vs-MCA), diastolic velocity (Vd-MCA) and mean flow rate (Vm-MCA) pre-induction of anesthesia (T 0), loss of consciousness (T 1), after fentanyl injection (T 3), endotracheal intubation (T 4), 30 min (T 5), 60 min (T 6) and postoperative (T 7) were recorded. Results:There were no significant differences in the recovery time of spontaneous breathing, wake time and awake extubation time between the two groups ( P>0.05). The resting NRS in sevoflurane group at 1, 3, 6, 12, 24 and 48 h after operation were (1.27 ± 0.12), (2.13 ± 0.22), (3.26 ± 0.23), (3.29 ± 0.22), (2.52 ± 0.11) and (2.02 ± 0.11) points, respectively. Etomidate group was (1.27 ± 0.13), (2.02 ± 0.21), (2.13 ± 0.13), (2.11 ± 0.26), (2.08 ± 0.17) and (1.02 ± 0.17) points, respectively. The results of repeated measurement ANOVA showed that there was significant difference in NRS between the two groups ( P<0.05). There were significant differences in postoperative resting NRS between the two groups at different time points ( P<0.05). The incidence of postoperative delusion in etomidate group was lower than that in sevoflurane group: 4.17% (2/48) vs. 16.67% (8/48), and the difference was statistically significant ( P<0.05). Postoperative SjvO 2 in sevoflurane group and etomidate group was higher than that before surgery: (69.96 ± 4.17)% vs. (58.26 ± 4.16)%, (61.22 ± 4.19)% vs. (58.25 ± 4.17)%. In addition, both AVDO 2 and CERO 2 were lower than those before operation: (60.23 ± 5.22)% vs. (64.22 ± 4.17)%, (50.23 ± 6.19)% vs. (64.23 ± 4.19)%, (37.22 ± 6.23)% vs. (40.23 ± 5.16)%, (31.26 ± 5.17)% vs. (40.27 ± 4.18)% ( P<0.05), postoperative SjvO 2 in etomidate group was higher than that in sevoflurane group, and AVDO 2 and CERO 2 were lower than that in sevoflurane group. The difference was statistically significant ( P<0.05). The results of repeated measurement ANOVA showed that there were statistically significant differences in cerebral blood perfusion indexes of Vs-MCA, Vd-MCA and Vm-MCA between the two groups ( P<0.05). There were statistically significant differences in Vs-MCA, Vd-MCA and Vm-MCA between two groups at different time points ( P<0.05). There were significant differences in Vs-MCA, Vd-MCA and Vm-MCA between the two groups at different time points ( P<0.05). Conclusions:Compared with sevoflurane, etomidate can reduce the postoperative delusion rate, improve cerebral oxygen metabolism and reduce cerebral blood flow perfusion.

Functional effects of microRNA-211-5p-targeted inhibition of erythropoietin hepatocyte kinase receptor and ligand B2 signaling pathway on spinal cord nerve injury / 中国医师进修杂志

Objective:To detect the expression of microRNA (miR)-211-5p, erythropoietin hepatocyte kinase receptor B2 (EphB2) and erythropoietin hepatocyte kinase ligand B2 (ephrin B2) in spinal cord tissues as well as nerve cells after spinal cord injury (SCI), and to explore their mechanisms and effects on neurological recovery in SCI rats.Methods:The study was conducted from May 2020 to June 2021 using Sprague Dawley (SD) rats and PC12 cells. SD rats were divided into sham-operated group and SCI group of 30 rats each, and Basso-Beattie-Bresnahan (BBB) score were performed at different postoperative time points (1, 3, 7, 14, 21 and 28 d), and the relative expression of miR-211-5p and Eph/ephrin B2 mRNA was measured by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR); the SCI rats were divided into recombinant lentiviral vector LV-miR-211-5p group (group A), empty lentiviral vector LV-eGFP (group B) and saline group (group C), with 15 rats in each group, respectively. The recombinant lentiviral vector, empty lentiviral vector and saline were injected on the cephalic and caudal sides of the spinal cord injury, and the relative expression of miR-211-5p and Eph/ephrin B2 mRNA in the spinal cord tissue was measured at 1, 7 and 14 d after surgery. In addition, a PC12 injury cell line model was established with 150 μmol/L hydrogen peroxide (H 2O 2), and the apoptosis rate and apoptosis-related proteins and contents of different cell lines were detected by flow cytometry and Western blot, respectively. MiR-211-5p was verified to target EphB2 by dual luciferase reporter gene. Results:The results of the animal experiments showed that at different postoperative time points, the miR-211-5p levels in the SCI group were lower than those in the SHAM group: 0.70 ± 0.03 vs. 1.00 ± 0.10, 0.60 ± 0.04 vs. 1.00 ± 0.05, 0.45 ± 0.10 vs. 1.00 ± 0.12, 0.30 ± 0.06 vs. 1.00 ± 0.15, 0.20 ± 0.05 vs. 1.00 ± 0.13, 0.10 ± 0.02 vs. 1.00 ± 0.07. In contrast, levels of Eph/ephrin B2 were higher in the SCI group compared to the SHAM group: 1.10 ± 0.05 vs. 1.00 ± 0.01, 1.80 ± 0.01 vs. 1.00 ± 0.08, 2.30 ± 0.01 vs. 1.00 ± 0.10, 2.60 ± 0.01 vs. 1.00 ± 0.05, 2.80 ± 0.01 vs. 1.00 ± 0.06, 3.00 ± 0.01 vs. 1.00 ± 0.07 and 1.20 ± 0.05 vs. 1.00 ± 0.02, 1.60 ± 0.01 vs. 1.00 ± 0.03, 2.10 ± 0.10 vs. 1.00 ± 0.01, 2.40 ± 0.11 vs. 1.00 ± 0.09, 2.70 ± 0.13 vs. 1.00 ± 0.05, 2.90 ± 0.12 vs. 1.00 ± 0.03 ( P<0.05). At 14 d after surgery, Group A exhibited higher BBB scores than Groups B and C: (14.0 ± 1.1) points vs. (8.0 ± 1.1) and (8.2 ± 1.2) points, while miR-211-5p levels were higher than those in Groups B and C: 1.90 ± 0.10 vs. 0.40 ± 0.01 and 0.50 ± 0.02, and Eph/ephrin B2 levels were lower than those in Groups B and C: 0.70 ± 0.10 vs. 1.80 ± 0.04 and 1.90 ± 0.06, 0.60 ± 0.03 vs. 2.00 ± 0.04 and 2.10 ± 0.05 ( P<0.05). Immunofluorescence staining showed that the levels of GAP-43 and synaptophysin in group A were higher than those in groups B and C at 14 d after surgery ( P<0.05). Cellular assays showed that overexpression of miR-211-5p inhibited the apoptosis rate of H 2O 2-induced PC12 cells and the expression of the apoptosis-related gene Cleaved-caspase3 ( P<0.05). Knockdown of miR-211-5p increased the apoptosis rate of H 2O 2-induced PC12 cells and the expression of the apoptosis-related gene Cleaved-caspase3 ( P<0.05). Dual luciferase reporter gene assay confirmed that EphB2 was a target gene of miR-211-5p and overexpression of EphB2 antagonized the inhibitory apoptosis effect of miR-211-5p on H 2O 2-induced PC12 cells. Conclusions:This study showed that miR-211-5p could promote neurological repair in SCI by inhibiting the expression of Eph/ephrin B2 signaling pathway, suggesting that using miR-211-5p as a target to inhibit Eph/ephrin B2 signaling pathway may have a protective effect on SCI.

Effects of ZXDC Mediates CCL2 on Chronic Neuropathic Pain in Spinal Dorsal Root Ganglion / 医学研究杂志

Objective To explore the effect and mechanism of C-C motif chemokine ligand 2(CCL2)/C-C chemokine receptor type 2(CCR2)signaling pathway mediated by ZXDC in spinal dorsal root ganglion(DRG)on neuropathic pain after chronic compressive injury.Methods A chronic compressive injury(CCI)mouse model was established.The expression of ZXDC and CCL2 in DRG was detected by immunofluorescence,Western blot,and real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR(RT-qPCR).The animals were divided in-to sham group,CCI+AAV-NC group,and CCI+AAV-ZXDC siRNA group.Western blot and immunofluorescence were employed to measure the expression of ZXDC,CCL2,and CCR2 in DRG after CCI,and the expression of pro-inflammatory factor TNF-α and IL-1β mRNA was evaluated by RT-qPCR.At last,the paw withdrawal threshold was used to evaluate the changes in neuropathic pain be-havior.Results ZXDC was localized in large,medium,and small DRG neurons.The expression of ZXDC and CCL2 protein and mRNA were significantly increased 1-3 days after CCI,and decreased 7days after CCI in DRG.The expression of ZXDC and CCL2mRNA was positively correlated(P＜0.05).3 days after CCI,compared with sham group,ZXDC,CCL2,CCR2 protein expression,TNF-α and IL-1 β mRNA in CCI+AAV-NC group and CCI+AAV-ZXDC siRNA group were significantly increased,and ZXDC,CCL2,CCR2 protein expression,TNF-α and IL-1 β mRNA in CCI+AAV-ZXDC siRNA group were significantly decreased than those in CCI+AAV-NC group(P＜0.05).Compared with sham group,the paw withdrawal threshold of CCI+AAV-ZXDC siRNA group and CCI+AAV-NC group were significantly decreased at various time points after CCI,and the withdrawal threshold in CCI+AAV-ZXDC siRNA group was significantly increased than that in CCI+AAV-NC group at 7days after CCI(P＜0.05).Conclusion Spinal dorsal root gan-glion ZXDC siRNA can inhibit neuropathic pain after CCI injury by downregulating CCL2/CCR2signaling axis.

Progress in mechanism of complement system involved in pathological pain / 中国病理生理杂志

The complement system comprises intrinsic complement components,complement regulatory pro-teins,and complement receptors.Complement activation plays a role in promoting the sensitization of peripheral pain re-ceptors,enhancing immune cell activity,and participating in the regulation of axon regeneration after nerve injury.The in-teraction of the complement system contributes to the development and maintenance of pathological pain,affecting the dor-sal root ganglion neurons,spinal dorsal horn,and brain.Consequently,targeting the complement system holds promise as a therapeutic approach for neuropathic pain treatment.This paper reviews the progress in understanding the functions of the complement system and its implications in pathological pain,offering valuable insights for the future development of targeted drug therapies.

Fluoride induced apoptosis and oxidative stress in rat spinal cord nerve cells / 中华地方病学杂志

Objective:To study the effects of fluoride on apoptosis and oxidative stress levels of spinal cord nerve cells in rats.Methods:A total of 54 6-week-old Sprague-Dawley female rats, weighing 150 - 200 g, were selected and fed for 1 week. They were divided into a control group [given deionized water containing 0 mg/L sodium fluoride (NaF)], a low fluoride group (given deionized water containing 50 mg/L NaF), and a high fluoride group (given deionized water containing 100 mg/L NaF) using a random number table method, with 18 rats in each group. All groups received standard feed. After 4, 8, and 12 weeks of fluoride exposure, six rats were selected from each group to observe the occurrence of dental fluorosis, and the motor function of hind limbs in rats was evaluated based on the Basso-Beattie-Bresnahan (BBB) score. Then the rats were anesthetized with 5% chloral hydrate via intraperitoneal injection and euthanized by cardiac puncture. Spinal cord tissue of the rats was collected to detect the activities of oxidative stress factors such as superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), as well as the contents of malondialdehyde (MDA) and catalase (CAT). After 12 weeks of fluoride exposure, morphologic changes in rat spinal cord neurons were observed using Nissl staining, and apoptosis of spinal cord nerve cells was detected using the TdT mediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) cell apoptosis detection kit. The Western blotting was used to detect the expression of B-lymphoblastoma-2 (Bcl-2) gene related X protein (Bax), Bcl-2 promoter (Bad), and Bcl-2 protein in rat spinal cord tissue; immunofluorescence staining was used to observe the expression of Bax and Bcl-2 protein in spinal cord neurons.Results:After 12 weeks of fluoride exposure, rats in both the low fluoride and high fluoride groups developed varying degrees of dental fluorosis; the differences of BBB scores of rats in the control, low fluoride, and high fluoride groups were statistically significant ( F = 14.09, P < 0.001). The differences of SOD [(124.04 ± 4.87), (96.66 ± 15.01), (91.12 ± 15.87) U/mg prot] and GSH-Px activitives [(561.92 ± 59.65), (456.83 ± 29.51), (385.07 ± 74.87) U/mg prot], MDA [(9.96 ± 1.50), (16.64 ± 2.05), (20.80 ± 3.37) nmol/mg prot] and CAT contents [(8.97 ± 1.05), (6.39 ± 0.97), (6.42 ± 0.83) nmol/mg prot] among the control, low fluoride, and high fluoride groups were statistically significant ( F = 11.17, 14.19, 30.12, 14.52, P < 0.05). Among them, the SOD, GSH-Px activities, and CAT content in the low fluoride and high fluoride groups were lower than those in the control group, while the MDA content was higher than that in the control group ( P < 0.05). The GSH-Px activity in the high fluoride group was lower than that in the low fluoride group, and MDA content was higher than that in the low fluoride group ( P < 0.05). The intact neuronal structures and clear visible nuclei were seen, and Nissl bodies were uniformly stained in the spinal cord neurons of the control group rats, with more numbers, and no apoptotic cells were observed; the staining of Nissl bodies in the spinal cord neurons of rats was uneven in the low fluoride and high fluoride groups, with fewer numbers, and more apoptotic cells. There were statistically significant differences in the apoptosis rate of spinal cord nerve cells and the expression levels of Bax, Bad, and Bcl-2 protein in the spinal cord tissues of rats in the control, low fluoride, and high fluoride groups ( F = 272.81, 35.53, 17.57, 92.50, P < 0.05). The results of immunofluorescence staining showed that there were statistically significant differences in the fluorescent intensity of Bax and Bcl-2 proteins in the spinal cord neurons of rats in the control, low fluoride, and high fluoride groups ( F = 12.67, 22.14, P < 0.05). Conclusion:Chronic fluorosis induces a decrease in antioxidant enzyme activity, an increase in lipid peroxidation levels, and an increase in neuronal apoptosis in the spinal cord of rats.

Spinal infection caused by Prevotella intermedia:analysis of misdiagnosis and literature review / 中国感染控制杂志

Objective To explore the clinical characteristics and treatment scheme of patients with spinal infection caused by Prevotella intermedia(P.intermedia).Methods Clinical diagnosis and treatment processes of a patient with spinal infection caused by P.intermedia admitted to the spinal surgery department of a hospital were summa-rized,and relevant literature was retrieved from database for reviewing.Results The patient,a 50 year old male,was admitted to the hospital due to"lumbago pain complicated with pain in double lower extremities for 2 months".The lesion tissue was taken for metagenomic next-generation sequencing(mNGS)detection,which detected P.in-termedia,and the patient was diagnosed with P.intermedia spondylitis.After treatments with open lesion clea-rance,tube rinsing+autologous bone transplantation fusion internal fixation,intravenous drip of ceftriaxone sodium and metronidazole,as well as metronidazole rinsing,infection was under control.A total of 16 available papers were retrieved,together with this case,a total of 17 patients were included,with 7 males and 10 females.The main risk factors were diabetes and history of corticosteroid use(35.3％).The most common invasion sites were lumbar ver-tebra(n=12)and thoracic vertebra(n=6).13 cases were positive for pathogen culture,3 cases were positive for molecular detection,and 1 case was positive for staining microscopy.17 patients received anti-anaerobic bacteria treatment,with 14 cases receiving combined surgical treatment.One case died,with a mortality of 5.9％;5 cases had partial neurological impairment,with a disability rate of 29.4％.The survival rate of patients who received treatment of anti-anaerobic bacteria combined with surgery was 92.8％,3 patients only with anti-anaerobic bacteria treatment but without surgery were all cured.Conclusion P.intermedia is an opportunistic pathogeanic bacteria which often causes infection in immunocomprised individuals and is prone to be misdiagnosed.It is recommended to perform mNGS detection to identify the pathogen as early as possible and seize the opportunity for treatment to reduce mortality.

Diagnostic efficacy of optimized T-SPOT.TB in differentiating spinal tu-berculosis from other spinal infection / 中国感染控制杂志

Objective To explore the efficacy of T-cell spot test of tuberculosis infection(T-SPOT.TB)in the differential diagnosis of spinal tuberculosis(STB),and optimize diagnostic efficacy through the optimal cut-off value of receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve.Methods Clinical data of patients with spinal infection in a hospi-tal from January 2010 to May 2019 were collected,including preoperative T-SPOT.TB test results,white blood cell count,C-reactive protein,erythrocyte sedimentation rate,procalcitonin,and tuberculosis antibodies,etal.Clinical diagnosis was conducted based on diagnostic criteria.The sensitivity and specificity of T-SPOT.TB in preoperative diagnosis of STB and other spinal infection was analyzed,and the diagnostic efficacy of the optimized T-SPOT.TB indicators was evaluated.Results A total of 132 patients were included in this study,out of whom 78 patients(59.09％)were diagnosed with STB,and 54(40.91％)were diagnosed with non-tuberculosis(non-TB)spinal in-fection.The sensitivity and specificity of T-SPOT.TB in differential diagnosis of STB were 67.68％and 66.67％,respectively.Univariate logistic regression analysis showed that compared with non-TB spinal infection,the OR va-lue of T-SPOT.TB test in diagnosing STB was 4.188(95％CI:1.847-9.974,P＜0.001).The optimized T-SPOT.TB evaluation index through ROC curve to determine the optimal cut-off values of ESAT-6,CFP-10,and CFP-10+ESAT-6 for differential diagnosis of STB and non-TB spinal infection were 12.5,19.5,and 36,respec-tively,and area under curve(AUC)values were 0.765 6,0.741 5,and 0.778 6,respectively,all with good diag-nostic efficacy.CFP-10+ESAT-6 had the highest AUC.CFP-10+ESAT-6 specific spot count had higher efficacy in the diagnosis of STB,with a diagnostic accuracy of 75.56％,higher than 67.42％of pre-optimized T-SPOT.TB.Conclusion T-SPOT.TB test has high diagnostic efficacy in differentiating STB from non-TB spinal infection.Posi-tivity in T-SPOT.TB test,especially with spot count of CFP-10+ESAT-6 over 36,indicates a higher likelihood of STB.

The role of PINK1/Parkin-mediated mitophagy in mechanical imbalance-induced endplate cartilage degeneration / 局解手术学杂志

Objective To detect the changes of mitophagy level in rats with endplate cartilage degeneration induced by spinal instability,and explore the role of PINK1/Parkin-mediated mitophagy in endplate cartilage and intervertebral disc degeneration.Methods The rat spinal instability model was established by surgically removing the superspinal and interspinal ligaments of L2 to L5,and cleaning the bilateral articular processes of the L2 to L5.Eighteen SD rats were divided into the normal group,the degenerative group,and the carbonyl cyanide 3-chlorophenylhydrazone(CCCP)group,with 6 rats in each group.The rats in the normal group had no special treatment,the rats in the degenerative group constructed a rat spinal instability model,and the rats in the CCCP group were injected with 5 μL of CCCP(10 μmol/L)in the intervertebral disc after the construction of spinal instability model.The changes of histomorphology in the endplate cartilage and intervertebral disc were abserved by HE staining,and the change of extracellular matrix of endplate cartilage was observed by safranin O-fast green staining.RT-PCR detected the mRNA expression of type Ⅱ collagen(COL-2A),aggrecan(ACAN),PINK1 and Parkin in each group.The changes of the protein expression levels of COL-2A,ACAN,PINK1,Parkin and mitochondrial membrane proteins of Tomm20 and Timm23 were detected by Western blot.Results Compared with the normal group,the intervertebral disc nucleus pulposus of rats in the degenerative group was significantly destroyed and the secretion of extracellular matrix of endplate chondrocytes decreased;while the structure of intervertebral discs for rats in the CCCP group was more intact,and the secretion of extracellular matrix of endplate chondrocytes was significantly increased compared with that in the degenerative group.Compared with the normal group,the expression of COL-2A and ACAN in endplate cartilage tissues of rats in the degenerative group were significantly down-regulated(P<0.05),the expression of mitochon-drial autophagy-related genes of PINK1 and Parkin were significantly decreased(P<0.05),and the expression of mitochondrial membrane proteins of Tomm20 and Timm23 were increased(P<0.05).Compared with the degenerative group,the expression of COL-2A,ACAN,PINKI and Parkin in the endplate cartilage tissue of rats in the CCCP group were significantly up-regulated(P<0.05),and the protein levels of Tomm20 and Timm23 were significantly down-regulated(P<0.05).Conclusion Rat spinal instability leads to a decrease level of mitophagy mediated by PINK1/Parkin signaling pathway in endplate cartilage,thereby inducing endplate cartilage and intervertebral disc degeneration,and the activation of mitophagy can significantly reduce endplate cartilage and intervertebral disc degeneration.

Perioperative complications and risk factors of en bloc resection for thoracic and lumbar spinal tu-mors / 中国脊柱脊髓杂志

Objectives:To investigate the incidence and risk factors of perioperative complications after en bloc resection for thoracic and lumbar spinal tumors.Methods:The data of patients with thoracic and lumbar spinal tumors treated in our department with en bloc resection and anterior column reconstruction were retro-spectively analyzed.Between May 2016 and October 2022,90 consecutive patients underwent en bloc resec-tion on the basis of Weinstein-Boriani-Biagini surgical staging system,and anterior reconstruction was per-formed using 3D-printed artificial vertebral bodies.The demographic,oncological,and operative data of the patients were collected prospectively,and the intraoperative and postoperative complications occurring within three months were categorized into major and minor complications according to their impacts on the recovery process(Major complications were considered as any complication that appeared to substantially alter an other-wise full and expected course of recovery,and other complications were regarded as minor).All the patients were divided into the primary group(n=67)and revision group(n=23)based on their previous surgical history.Differences between the two groups in terms of age,gender,pathological type,tumor-involved segments,oper-ative time,intraoperative blood loss,and perioperative complications were compared.The predictive factors for major and minor complications were explored.Results:En bloc resection was achieved in all the patients,in-cluding total en bloc spondylectomy in 77 cases,sagittal resection in 12 cases,and vertebrectomy in one case.The mean operative time was 553.4min(210-1208min),and the mean intraoperative blood loss was 1534.1mL(260-5500mL).A total of 129 complications were observed in 65(72.2%)patients,including 29 ma-jor complications in 21(23.3%)patients.Two patients(2.2%)died as a result of complications.The revision group was more than primary group in tumor-involved segments(P=0.000)and incidence rate of major compli-cations(P=0.038).In univariate regression analysis,the combined approach[odds ratio(OR)=14.778,P=0.001],total blood loss(OR=1.004,P=0.004),staged surgery(OR=5.250,P=0.008),previous surgical history(OR=2.946,P=0.043),number of tumor-involved vertebrae(OR=1.607,P=0.023)and lumbar tumor(OR=3.509,P=0.015)were statistically significant risk factors for major complication occurrence,while the combined approach(OR= 6.375,P=0.036)was the independent risk factor.Conclusions:En bloc resection and anterior column recon-struction is associated with high risks of complications,especially when a combined approach is needed.

Clinical outcome of lateral lumbar interbody fusion in the treatment of lumbar spinal stenosis with redundant nerve roots / 中国脊柱脊髓杂志

Objectives:To investigate the clinical efficacy and outcome of lateral lumbar interbody fusion in the treatment of lumbar spinal stenosis(LSS)with redundant nerve roots(RNRs).Methods:The data of 48 LSS patients with RNRs(23 males and 25 females,aged 45-81 years,on average 65.4±7.5 years)treated with lat-eral lumbar interbody fusion between January 2018 and July 2022 in our hospital were analyzed retrospec-tively.Among the patients,17 cases received single-level surgery and 31 cases received multi-level surgery.On the basis of the postoperative supine MRI scans,the patients were divided into RNRs relieved group(group A)and RNRs unrelieved group(group B).Radiographic assessments included disc heights,segmental angle and cross-sectional area of the spinal canal at the RNRs segment before and after operation were per-formed.The visual analogue scale(VAS),Oswestry disability index(ODI)and Japanese Orthopaedic Association(JOA)score were used to evaluate the clinical outcomes at preoperation and 1 month after surgery.Results:All patients underwent surgery successfully.The preoperative cross-sectional area of the spinal canal was 65.2±21.5mm2 in group A and 35.9±11.5mm2 in group B,with a significant difference(P＜0.05).The posterior disk height and cross-sectional area of the spinal canal was 8.3±1.7mm and 92.6±25.8mm2 respectively in group A,and that of group B was 6.0±2.3mm and 45.4±12.1mm2 respectively,the differences were significant-ly statistical(P＜0.05).Furthermore,in 1 month after operation the VAS leg pain,ODI and JOA scores was 2.4±0.8,(24.1±3.0)%and 22.8±1.9 respectively in group A,and that of group B was 3.3±0.8,(30.2±4.4)%and 17.7±2.5 respectively,the differences were significantly statistical(P＜0.05).The total incidence of complications was 10.4%,including anterolateral thigh pain in 4 cases and hip flexor weakness in 1 case,which were released at 3 months of follow-up.Conclusions:Lateral lumbar interbody fusion can eliminate RNRs by restoring postoperative posterior disc height and enlarging the cross-sectional area of spinal canal,which provides an effective treatment for most LSS patients with RNRs.

Analysis of risk factors for prolonged postoperative hospital stay in patients after spinal tuberculosis lesion removal and fusion with internal fixation and development of a predictive model / 中国脊柱脊髓杂志

Objectives:To explore the risk factors related to the prolonged postoperative length of hospital stay(LOS)in patients after spinal tuberculosis lesion removal and fusion with internal fixation,and to construct a nomogram prediction model,so as to provide a theoretical basis for the enhanced recovery management of spinal tuberculosis patients.Methods:The clinical data of 142 patients with spinal tuberculosis who underwent lesion removal and fusion with internal fixation in the Department of Orthopedics of the Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University between December 2018 and June 2023 were retrospectively analyzed.The patients were randomly divided into modeling group(n=96)and validation group(n=46)in a 2∶1 ratio.Setting the postoperative LOS＞21d as the outcome variable for prolonged LOS,and taking age,gender,alcohol history,smoking history,hypertension,coronary heart disease,diabetes,anemia,postoperative hypoproteinemia,spinal cord injury,tuberculosis in other parts,bone destruction,blood transfusion,removal time of drainage,postoperative complications,operative time,blood loss,preoperative American Society of Anesthesiologists(ASA)score,postoperative ASA score,surgical incision length,pus formation,chemotherapy before surgery,and chemotherapy regimens as independent variables to develop univariate logistic regression model.The risk factors screened after univariate analysis were included for multivariate logistic regression model to determine the independent risk factors for LOS＞21d after lesion removal and fusion with internal fixation in patients with spinal tuberculosis and to construct a predictive model for risk factors.The area under the curve(AUC)of receiver operating characteristics(ROC)curve was used to assess the the differentiation of the model;Calibration curve was used to assess the calibration situation of the model;Decision curve analysis(DCA)was used to assess the clinical value and influence of the model on actual decision-making process.Data of validation group was applied to draw ROC curve and calibration curve for external verification.Results:Univariate and multivariate analyses revealed that age(OR=1.040,95%CI:1.011-1.069),tuberculosis at other sites(OR=2.867,95%CI:1.157-7.106),and preoperative ASA score(OR=1.543,95%CI:1.015-2.347)were the independent risk factors for prolonged postoperative hospitalization in patients with spinal tuberculosis after lesion removal and fusion with internal fixation.The AUC of ROC curves of modeling group and validation group were 0.767(95%CI:0.671-0.863)and 0.720(95%CI:0.569-0.871),respectively,suggesting the predictive model had good predictive efficiency.The results of the calibration curve analysis demonstrated that the actual curve roughly resembled the ideal curve,and DCA curve revealed that the nomogram had superior clinical benefits.Conclusions:The spinal tuberculosis patients who are at older age,combined with other sites of tuberculosis,and with high preoperative ASA score are prone to prolonged LOS after lesion removal and fusion with internal fixation,and the risk prediction nomogram model developed accordingly has great predictive efficiency.

Risk factors and predictive model for prolonged length of stay after spinal tuberculosis lesion removal and bone graft fusion with internal fixation / 中国脊柱脊髓杂志

Objectives:To analyze the risk factors for prolonged length of stay(LOS)after lesion removal and bone graft fusion internal fixation in patients with spinal tuberculosis,and to develop and validate a predictive model.Methods:The clinical data of 152 patients with spinal tuberculosis who underwent lesion removal and bone grafting and fusion internal fixation at Honghui Hospital affiliated to Xi'an Jiaotong Univer-sity from February 2016 to December 2020 were retrospectively analyzed.The patients were divided into the prolonged LOS(PLOS)group and normal LOS(NLOS)group according to whether their postoperative LOS ex-ceeded the postoperative LOS of the 75th percentile of the overall study cohort.Univariate analyses were per-formed for gender,age,hypertension,diabetes,paraplegia,anticoagulation history,tuberculosis resistance,pre-operative anti-tuberculosis time,blood transfusion,surgical site,surgical approach,number of fused vertebrae,operative time,intraoperative blood loss(IBL),postoperative complications,blood transfusion cost,hospital cost,C-reactive protein(CRP),erythrocyte sedimentation rate(ESR),albumin(ALB),blood routine,and coagulation function in both groups.Based on Lasso regression,the risk factors significantly associated with postoperative LOS prolongation in spinal tuberculosis were selected and incorporated into a multivariate logistic regression analysis,and thereby a prediction model was established based on the results of multivariate logistic regres-sion analysis.The model was visualized by plotting a nomogram as a means of predicting the probability of risk for prolongation of LOS after spinal tuberculosis surgery.Internal validation of the model was performed using extended Bootstrap,where receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curves,calibration curves and decision curve analysis(DCA)were plotted to verify the discrimination,accuracy and clinical applicability.Results:The 152 patients enrolled in the study had a median LOS of 10d,and the 75%LOS was 14d.There were 96 patients in the PLOS group and 56 in the NLOS group.Univariate analysis showed that the differences in age,hypertension,diabetes,anticoagulation history,tuberculosis resistance,preoperative anti-tuberculosis time,surgical site,surgical approach,surgical time,IBL,postoperative complications,CRP,ESR,preoperative ALB,blood routine,and coagulation function were not statistically significant between the two groups(P＞0.05),while the differences in gender,paraplegia,blood transfusion,number of fused vertebrae,blood transfusion cost,and hospitalization cost were statistically significant(P＜0.05).The operative time,IBL,preoperative Hb,and preop-erative ALB were divided according to the Yoden index of ROC as the dividing point,and the cut-off value of operative time was 198(min),the cut-off value of IBL was 1000(mL),the cut-off value of preoperative Hb was 118(g/L),and the cut-off value of preoperative ALB was 38.8(g/L).Through Lasso regression model,the risk factors closely related to the prolongation of LOS after spinal tuberculosis were female,blood transfusion,the number of fused vertebrae≥3,operative time≥198min and IBL≥1000mL,preoperative Hb＜118g/L and preoperative ALB＜38.8g/L.Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that female,number of fused ver-tebrae≥3,operative time≥198min and IBL≥1000mL were the risk factors for postoperative LOS prolongation in patients with spinal tuberculosis(P＜0.05).A visual nomogram model for logistic regression was constructed,and the predictors included female,number of fused vertebrae,operative time,and IBL.A Bootstrap self-sampling of 1,000 times was performed to complete the internal validation of the model,with a C-index value of 0.882 and an area under the curve(AUC)of ROC of 0.884(95%CI:0.782 to 0.985).The calibration curve showed that the apparent curve of the model fitted well with the curve after deviation correction.The DCA curve showed that the threshold range of 0.2 to 0.9 had the greatest clinical benefit.Conclusions:Female,number of fused vertebrae≥3,operative time≥198min and IBL≥1000mL are the main risk factors for pro-longed LOS after lesion removal and bone graft fusion with internal fixation in patients with spinal tuberculo-sis,and the predictive model based on the above risk factors can help physicians to make clinical decisions and optimize the perioperative management.

Risk factors for rod fracture after correction and internal fixation for adult spinal deformity and treatment strategy / 中国脊柱脊髓杂志

Objectives:To investigate the incidence,relative risk factors and treatment strategies of rod breakage after correction and internal fixation of adult spinal deformity(ASD).Methods:The clinical data of ASD patients treated with posterior corrective operation and internal fixation in the Department of Orthopedics of Xinqiao Hospital between January 2015 and December 2019 were analyzed retrospectively.A total of 79 patients aged 45-75 years(62.1±7.7 years)were included.The follow-up period was 24-59 months(30.6±9.2 months).According to whether the rod was broken during the follow-up period,the patients were divided into rod fracture group(RF group)and rod non-fracture group(NRF group).The sex,age,body mass index(BMI),bone mineral density(BMD)T value,complications and follow-up time of the two groups were recorded.The sagittal vertical axis(SVA),pelvic incidence(PI),pelvic tilt(PT),sacral slope(SS),thoracic kyphosis(TK),lumbar lordosis(LL),LL-TK value,PI-LL value,and coronal Cobb angle were measured before and after operation.The operation-related information of the two groups was collected,including operative time,intraoperative blood loss,the number of fixed fusion segments,whether three-column osteotomy,whether the lower fixed ver-tebrae involved the sacrum or pelvis,and whether there was interbody fusion.The position,time and revision operation of the broken rod in the RF group were recorded.The data of the two groups were compared and analyzed by Spearman test,and the positive parameters were further analyzed by multivariate logistic regres-sion to find potential risk factors for rod fractures.Odds ratio(OR)and 95％confidence interval(CI)were cal-culated.Results:Among the 79 patients,rod fracture occurred in 14 patients(17.7％),with bilateral fracture in 11 cases and unilateral fractures in 3 cases.The time of rod fracture occurred at 6-31 months after oper-ation(averaged 16 months),which occurred at the early stage after operation(within 24 months)in 10 patients(71.4％)and at 24 months after operation in 4 patients(28.6％).The rod fracture occurred at the osteotomy site in 11 cases and at T10-12 level in 3 cases.Spearman test showed that younger age(P=0.038),more lev-els of fusion(P＜0.001),3-column osteotomy(P＜0.001)and bigger preoperative SV A(P＜0.00 1)were correlated with rod breakage.Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that more levels of fusion(P=0.037,OR=2.043,95％CI=1.046-3.992),3-column osteotomy(P=0.044,OR=0.113,95％CI=0.014-0.941),and bigger preop-erative SVA(P=0.006,OR=1.1 19,95％CI=1.032-1.212)were the risk factors of rod breakage after corrective surgery for ASD patients.11 patients(78.6％)underwent revision surgery because of intractable low back pain or progression of spinal deformities,and were replaced the broken rods through posterior primary incision ap-proach,combined with satellite rod technique;And meanwhile,out of which,5 patients underwent one-stage retroperitoneal approach for anterior iliac bone graft fusion and received satisfactory results during follow-up.Conclusions:The incidence of rod breakage after correction and internal fixation in ASD patients is high.More levels of fusion,3-column osteotomy,and greater preoperative SVA were significantly associated with rod fracture.The"Multi-rod technique"and anterior bone graft fusion technique can be used in the revision operation of rod fracture.

Clinical efficacy of decompression under full-endoscope and percutaneous pedicle screw fixation in the treatment of single-level thoracolumbar burst fracture / 中国脊柱脊髓杂志

Objectives:To explore the safety and early effectiveness of decompression under full-endoscope and percutaneous pedicle screw fixation in the treatment of single-level thoracolumbar burst fractures.Methods:The clinical data of 9 patients with single-segment thoracolumbar burst fracture treated with spinal canal decompression under full-endoscope and percutaneous pedicle screw fixation from April 2021 to June 2022 in our hospital were analyzed retrospectively,including 7 males and 2 females.The age ranged from 23 to 61(39.3±9.1)years old.According to AO classification,there were 6 cases of type A,2 cases of type B and 1 case of type C.Fracture segments were T12 in 2 cases,L1 in 3 cases,L2 in 3 cases,and L3 in 1 case.According to the classification of American Spinal Injury Association(ASIA)grading,there were 2 cases of type C,2 cases of type D,and 5 cases of type E.The decompression and percutaneous pedicle screw fixation were operated through the same incision in the injured vertebrae for screw placing.The operation-related indexes and complications were recorded.The patients'low back pain was evaluated by visual analogue scale(VAS)score before operation,on 3rd day after operation and at the last follow-up.The sagittal Cobb angle,height ratio of vertebral anterior edge,and the rate of spinal canal occupation were measured on spinal X-ray and CT images,and the recovery of neurological function was evaluated at the last follow-up.Results:All 9 patients successfully completed the operation,and the operative time was 105-145min(1 12.4± 21.2min),bleeding volume was 50-110mL(83.9±19.6mL),and hospitalization time was 7-13d(9.1±1.3d).No serious complications such as wound infection,cerebrospinal fluid leakage,aggravated nerve injury occurred.The follow-up time was 6-13months(8.4±3.9 months),all the fractures healed successfully,and the healing time was 3-6 months(4.7±1.6 months).The VAS score of low back pain on the 3rd day after operation and at final follow-up significantly improved compared with that before operation(P＜0.05),and it was also significantly improved at the last follow-up compared with that on the 3rd day after operation(P＜0.05).The Cobb angle,anterior height ratio of injured vertebrae,and invasion rate of spinal canal were significantly improved compared with those before operation(P＜0.05),respectively,but there was no statistical difference between the last follow-up and postoperative 3d(P＞0.05).One patient recovered from grade C to grade D of ASIA classification,while another three patients with neurological injury recovered completely.Conclusions:Decompression under full-endoscope and percutaneous pedicle screw fixation through the same incision in the injured vertebrae for screw placement in the treatment of single-level thoracolumbar burst fractures can obtain effective nerve root and spinal canal decompression,with good correction and small operative trauma,which is a safe and effective option.

Clinical efficacy of percutaneous endoscopic decompression in treating lumbar spinal stenosis combined with degenerative scoliosis in geriatric patients / 中国脊柱脊髓杂志

Objectives:To evaluate the clinical efficacy of percutaneous endoscopic decompression in the treatment of lumbar spinal stenosis(LSS)with degenerative scoliosis in geriatric patients.Methods:A retro-spective analysis was conducted on the LSS patients combined with degenerative scoliosis underwent percuta-neous endoscopic decompression between January 2020 and June 2021.18 patients(11 males and 7 females)aged 65-90(78.9±7.1)years old were included in the study.Percutaneous endoscopic unilateral or bilateral decompression was performed according to the clinical symptoms,comorbidities and imaging characteristics of the patients.The operative time,intraoperative blood loss and fluoroscopy times were recorded.Visual ana-logue scale(VAS)was used to evaluate back and leg pain before and immediately after operation,and at 6 months after surgery and final follow-up.Oswestry disability index(ODI)and Japanese Orthopaedic Association(JOA)score were applied to evaluate lumbar function before and after operation,and the Macnab criteria were adopted to assess the efficacy at final follow-up.The sagittal vertical axis(SVA),C7-CSVL,Cobb angle,lum-bar lordosis(LL),pelvic incidence(PI),pelvic tilt(PT),sacral slope(SS),PI-LL,and cross-sectional area of spinal canal before and after surgery were measured and analyzed.Results:All the patients underwent the surgery successfully,and 14 cases were treated with bilateral decompression and 4 cases with unilateral decompression.There were no serious complications during the perioperative period.The patients completed more than 12 months of follow-up.The operative time was 69.72±12.66min,intraoperative blood loss was 39.72±10.21mL,and the number of preoperative and intraoperative fluoroscopy was 5.11±1.49 times.The VAS scores of low back and leg pain immediately after operation,at 6 months after operation and final follow-up were significantly lower than those before operation(P＜0.05).The ODI and JOA score at final follow-up were significantly improved compared with those before operation(P＜0.05).The postoperative SVA,C7-CSVL,Cobb angle,PI-LL,and cross-sectional areas of spinal canal were improved compared with the preoperative values,respectively(P＜0.05).There were 7 excellent cases(38.90％),9 good cases(50.00％)and 2 acceptable cases(11.11％)at the final follow-up,and the total excellent and good rate was 88.89％.Conclusions:Percutaneous endoscopic decompression has the clinical efficacies of relieving back and leg pain,improving lumbar function and spino-pelvic alignment,and enlarging intraspinal cross-sectional area in treating old LSS patients with degenerative scoliosis,and it is small in wound,little in bleeding,and short in operative time.