Clinical Outcome of Posterior Instrumented Stabilization and Transpedicular Decompression in Patients Presenting with Thoracic or Lumbar Spinal Tuberculosis in a Tertiary Care Center: A Descriptive Cross-sectional Study.

INTRODUCTION: Posterior instrumented stabilization is a commonly done surgery in spinal tuberculosis. This study aims to evaluate the clinical, radiological, and neurological outcomes of posterior instrumented stabilization and transpedicular decompression in thoracic and lumbar spinal tuberculosis. METHODS: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted for one and a half years with at least six months of follow-up in a tertiary care center. The study was approved by the Institutional Review Committee (Reference number: 119 (6-11-5) 2/075-076). Total sampling was done and the study included patients over 18 years of age with spinal tuberculosis of the thoracic or lumbar regions. These patients underwent posterior instrumented stabilization and transpedicular decompression at the tertiary care center. The age, site of involvement, Visual Analog Scale score for back pain, neurological status as per Frankel Neurology grading, and local kyphotic angle in X-ray were recorded. The median, interquartile range and percentage were calculated. The data was entered in Microsoft Excel 2016 and analysis was done using Epi Info software version 7.2. RESULTS: Thoracic level was most commonly involved in 14 (46.68%) cases. The median back pain as assessed by the Visual Analogue Scale score improved from 8 to 2 at the 6-month follow-up. There was improvement in the neurological grading of all cases and there was no loss of correction in the local kyphotic angle till the final follow-up. The median age of cases was 48 years (interquartile range: 28-62.50). CONCLUSIONS: Posterior instrumented stabilization and transpedicular decompression in adult patients with thoracic or lumbar spinal tuberculosis achieves improvements in clinical, radiological, and neurological outcomes.

Diagnostic accuracy of GeneXpert in the diagnosis of spinal tuberculosis: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Tuberculosis remains a significant global health issue, with spinal tuberculosis being a severe form of extrapulmonary tuberculosis. Despite the high morbidity associated with spinal tuberculosis, effective and rapid diagnostic methods are limited. The aim of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of the GeneXpert compared to other microbiological methods in diagnosing spinal tuberculosis. A systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted following the PRISMA guidelines. Six databases (PubMed, Scopus, EBSCO, EMBASE, ScienceDirect, and Cochrane Central) were searched for relevant studies as of August 31, 2023. Studies were selected based on predefined inclusion criteria, focusing on patients diagnosed with spinal tuberculosis and comparing GeneXpert to microbiological culture, acid-fast bacilli (AFB) staining, and polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Two authors independently performed data extraction and quality assessment, and the meta-analysis was conducted using Meta-DiSc 2.0. Fourteen studies comprising retrospective cohort, prospective cohort, and cross-sectional designs were included. GeneXpert demonstrated a pooled sensitivity of 92% (85-96%) and specificity of 71% (51-86%) compared to culture. AFB smear had the highest specificity at 80% (70- 88%) but the lowest sensitivity at 27% (20-35%). The PCR had sensitivity and specificity of 83% (67-92%) and 58% (31-81%), respectively. Substantial heterogeneity was noted across the studies. This study highlighted that GeneXpert had high sensitivity and moderate specificity in diagnosing spinal tuberculosis, making it an alternative to conventional methods. However, further validation through larger, interventional studies is necessary to standardize its use in clinical practice.

Exploring expression levels of the cGAS-STING pathway genes in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of spinal tuberculosis patients.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to investigate the differential expression levels of the cGAS-STING pathway in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of spinal tuberculosis (TB) patients with different progression and its feasibility as a diagnostic marker. METHODS: Peripheral blood and medical records of 25 patients with spinal TB and 10 healthy individuals, were prospectively collected and analyzed. PBMCs and serum were extracted from peripheral blood and the expression levels of the cGAS-STING pathway in PBMCs were measured by real-time PCR (RT-PCR) and serum interferon ß (IFN-ß) expression levels were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The expression of Interferon regulatory Factor 3 (IRF3) in PBMCs was measured using western blot. Statistical analysis was performed using the SPSS 26.0 statistical package. RESULTS: The results showed that the expression level of the TANK-binding kinase 1 (TBK1) and IRF3 was significantly higher in PBMCs (P < 0.05), in patients with active lesions than in patients with stable lesions. The serum concentration of IFN-ß was significantly higher in patients with active lesions (P = 0.028). Compared with healthy individuals, the expression level of the cGAS-STING pathway was elevated in PBMCs of TB patients (P < 0.05), and the difference in the expression level of IFN-ß was not statistically significant (P > 0.05), and the serum IFN-ß concentration was elevated (P < 0.05). The calculated AUC values for TBK1 and IRF3 in PBMCs, IFN-ß in serum and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) to distinguish between patients with active and stable lesions were 0.732, 0.714, 0.839, and 0.714 respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The expression level of TBK1 and IRF3 in PBMCs, and IFN-ß in the serum of patients with spinal TB is positively correlated with disease activity. TBK1 has higher specificity and IFN-ß in serum has higher sensitivity when used to differentiate between patients with active and stable lesions.

Massive cerebral tuberculomas, Pott's disease and hypercalcaemia secondary to Mycobacterium bovis in a patient with chronic kidney disease on peritoneal dialysis.

Tuberculosis (TB) is still a health problem in developing countries. Pulmonary involvement remains the most common clinical presentation. However, multiorgan involvement can be life-threatening. We present the case of a young woman on peritoneal dialysis who was admitted to hospitalisation for hypercalcaemia and low back pain. In his biochemical evaluation, suppressed intact parthyroid hormone (iPTH) and elevated 1,25-hydroxyvitamin D were detected. On a lumbar CT scan, a hypodense lesion in vertebral bodies compatible with Pott's disease was found. Positive cultures for Mycobacterium bovis were obtained in bronchoalveolar lavage and peritoneal fluid, for which specific treatment was initiated. Due to neurological deterioration, a CT scan was performed showing the presence of multiple tuberculomas. Retrospectively, the lack of an etiological diagnosis of chronic kidney disease, the initiation of dialysis 8 months before and the clear evidence of long-standing TB strongly suggest mycobacterium infection as the cause or trigger for the rapid decline in kidney function.

Clinical effect of posterior-only approach debridement, intervertebral fusion, and internal fixation for upper thoracic tuberculosis.

This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness and feasibility of the posterior-only approach for debridement, interbody fusion, and internal fixation in treating upper thoracic tuberculosis. This study retrospectively analysed the clinical and radiographic data of 8 patients diagnosed with upper thoracic tuberculosis. All patients underwent posterior approach debridement, interbody fusion, and internal fixation. We conducted pre- and postoperative assessments of the visual analog scale (VAS), Oswestry disability index (ODI) scores, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), C-reactive protein (CRP), ASIA score, and kyphotic Cobb angle. Back pain and lower limb weakness were the most common presenting symptoms. The mean duration of surgery, amount of blood loss, and volume of postoperative drainage were 262.5 ± 43.3 min, 625.0 ± 333.8 mL, and 285.0 ± 118.1 mL, respectively. Patients were followed up for 36 to 48 months. Three months after surgery, there was a significant improvement in VAS and ODI scores, which further improved until the final follow-up. A statistically significant difference was observed between the preoperative and postoperative periods (P < .05). At the final follow-up, lower extremity function had fully returned to normal in all 5 paralyzed patients. The ESR and CRP returned to normal, 18.1 ± 7.3 mm/h and 9.95 ± 5.41 mg/L, respectively, within 3 months postoperatively. There were statistical differences between the preoperative and postoperative periods (P < .05). The average kyphotic correction rate was (71.5 ± 7.3)%, and the average loss of correction angle was (3.5 ± 1.4)°. Intervertebral bone fusion was achieved by all patients within 15 months (mean 8.3 ± 3.2 months) postoperatively. The posterior-only approach seems an effective, safe, and reliable treatment method for upper thoracic tuberculosis, with favourable clinical and radiological outcomes. Level IV, Therapeutic study.

Comparison of two surgical approaches in treating children with thoracolumbar junction tuberculosis: a multicenter study.

OBJECTIVES: We conducted a multicenter retrospective analysis to compare the clinical outcomes and complications associated with the posterior-anterior and posterior-only approaches in treating Thoracolumbar Junction (TLJ) Tuberculosis (TB) in children aged 3-10 years. METHODS: Herein, 52 TLJ TB patients (age range = 3-10 years; mean age = 6.8 ± 2.2 years; females = 22; males = 30) treated with debridement, fusion, and instrumentation were recruited from two hospitals in China between May 2008 and February 2022, and their clinical data were reviewed retrospectively. Among them, 24 group A patients and 28 group B patients underwent the posterior-anterior and posterior-only approaches, respectively. The two groups were assessed for surgical time, blood loss, hospitalization duration, operative complications, inflammatory indicators, Visual Analog Scale (VAS) scores, Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) scores, kyphosis angles, and neurologic functions. Results or differences with P < 0.05 were considered statistically significant. RESULTS: The average follow-up period was 37.5 ± 23.3 months. Compared to group A patients, group B patients exhibited significantly lower surgical time, blood loss amount, time it took to stand, and hospitalization duration, as well as fewer complications. Notably, the Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate (ESR) and C-Reactive Protein (CRP) values of patients in both groups returned to normal one year post-surgery. Furthermore, compared to the preoperative values, patients' VAS and ODI scores, as well as neurological functions and kyphosis angles, were significantly improved postoperatively and at the final follow-up, but with no statistically significant differences between the two groups. Moreover, there was no internal fixation failure or TB recurrence, and all patients exhibited solid bone fusion at the last follow-up. CONCLUSION: For pediatric TLJ TB involving no or at most two segments, both posterior-anterior and posterior-only approaches could effectively remove lesions and decompress the spinal cord, restore spinal stability, correct kyphosis, and prevent deformity deterioration. Nonetheless, the posterior-only approach can more effectively shorten the surgical time, reduce related trauma and complications, and promote rapid recovery, making it a safer and highly preferable minimally invasive approach.

Transcriptome analysis of the diseased intervertebral disc tissue in patients with spinal tuberculosis.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the differential expression genes (DEGs) in spinal tuberculosis using transcriptomics, with the aim of identifying novel therapeutic targets and prognostic indicators for the clinical management of spinal tuberculosis. METHODS: Patients who visited the Department of Orthopedics at the Second Hospital, Lanzhou University from January 2021 to May 2023 were enrolled. Based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria, there were 5 patients in the test group and 5 patients in the control group. Total RNA was extracted and paired-end sequencing was conducted on the sequencing platform. After processing the sequencing data with clean reads and annotating the reference genome, FPKM normalization and differential expression analysis were performed. The DEGs and long non-coding RNAs (LncRNAs) were analyzed for Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) and Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment. The cis-regulation of differentially expressed mRNAs (DE mRNAs) by LncRNAs was predicted and analyzed to establish a co-expression network. RESULTS: This study identified 2366 DEGs, with 974 genes significantly upregulated and 1392 genes significantly downregulated. The upregulated genes are associated with cytokine-cytokine receptor interactions, tuberculosis, and TNF-α signaling pathways, primarily enriched in biological processes such as immunity and inflammation. The downregulated genes are related to muscle development, contraction, fungal defense response, and collagen metabolism processes. Analysis of LncRNAs from bone tuberculosis RNA-seq data detected a total of 3652 LncRNAs, with 356 significantly upregulated and 184 significantly downregulated. Further analysis identified 311 significantly different LncRNAs that could cis-regulate 777 target genes, enriched in pathways such as muscle contraction, inflammatory response, and immune response, closely related to bone tuberculosis. There are 51 genes enriched in the immune response pathway regulated by cis-acting LncRNAs. LncRNAs that regulate immune response-related genes, such as upregulated RP11-451G4.2, RP11-701P16.5, AC079767.4, AC017002.1, LINC01094, CTA-384D8.35, and AC092484.1, as well as downregulated RP11-2C24.7, may serve as potential prognostic and therapeutic targets. CONCLUSION: The DE mRNAs and LncRNAs in spinal tuberculosis are both associated with immune regulatory pathways. These pathways promote or inhibit the tuberculosis infection and development at the mechanistic level and play an important role in the process of tuberculosis transferring to bone tissue.

Tongue Tuberculosis as a Complication of Pott's Disease in a Patient on Systemic Steroid Therapy without Pulmonary Tuberculosis.

A 78-year-old man with a previous diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis on prolonged treatment with corticosteroids presented with intense and progressive pain at the cervical level that prevented him from resting his head and walking, in addition to an ulcerative lesion covering 80% of the lingual area that was previously treated as oral candidiasis without improvement. On arrival, with no clinical or serological data of rheumatoid arthritis, immunosuppressive treatment was suspended, and a biopsy of the oral cavity was requested, confirming the diagnosis of lingual tuberculosis, an extremely rare disease, occurring in less than 1% of extrapulmonary cases. MRI of the cervical spine showed a crush fracture of the C6 and C7 bodies associated with spondylitis of probably infectious etiology that required surgical treatment, and histopathological studies confirmed Pott's disease. The patient displayed no evidence of pulmonary tuberculosis from arrival until the end of the follow-up.

Unmasking Pott Disease: A Diagnostic Challenge Mimicking Metastatic Lung Cancer - A Case Report.

BACKGROUND Tuberculosis spondylitis, also known as Pott disease, is a rare form of the ancient infectious disease tuberculosis. It bears a complex clinical and radiological profile, often necessitating an extensive differential diagnostic approach for accurate identification. The disease was named in honor of the first diagnosed patient, highlighting its historical significance. CASE REPORT We report a case involving a 69-year-old male initially admitted to the Pulmonology Department under the suspicion of a left lung tumor, as indicated by a chest X-ray. A subsequent CT scan revealed a tumor-hilar mass, enlarged subcarineal lymph nodes, and a pathological mass at the C6/C7 vertebral level. Despite negative tuberculosis tests, the patient was misdiagnosed with disseminated lung cancer with spinal metastases. Following radiotherapy targeting the cervical and thoracic spine, the definitive diagnosis of spinal tuberculosis was confirmed via histopathological examination from an open biopsy of the C6 and C7 vertebrae. CONCLUSIONS Tuberculosis can present with an insidious and misleading clinical picture, often mimicking other diseases such as cancer. Early and accurate diagnostic processes are crucial for effective treatment. This case underscores the importance of considering tuberculosis in the differential diagnosis, especially when clinical presentations are ambiguous.

[Treatment of thoracolumbar tuberculosis with robot-assisted and minimally invasive access via transforaminal expansion approach].

Objective: To investigate the feasibility and effectiveness of robot-assisted posterior minimally invasive access in treatment of thoracolumbar tuberculosis via transforaminal expansion approach. Methods: A clinical data of 40 patients with thoracolumbar tuberculosis admitted between January 2017 and May 2022 and met the selection criteria was retrospectively analyzed. Among them, 15 cases were treated with robot-assisted and minimally invasive access via transforaminal expansion approach for lesion removal, bone graft, and internal fixation (robotic group), and 25 cases were treated with traditional transforaminal posterior approach for lesion removal and intervertebral bone grafting (traditional group). There was no significant difference in the baseline data between the two groups ( P>0.05) in terms of gender, age, lesion segment, and preoperative American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) grading, Cobb angle, visual analogue scale (VAS) score, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), and C reactive protein (CRP). The outcome indicators were recorded and compared between the two groups, including operation time, intraoperative bleeding volume, hospital stay, postoperative bedtime, complications, ESR and CRP before operation and at 1 week after operation, the level of serum albumin at 3 days after operation, VAS score and ASIA grading of neurological function before operation and at 6 months after operation, the implant fusion, fusion time, Cobb angle of the lesion, and the loss of Cobb angle observed by X-ray films and CT. The differences of ESR, CRP, and VAS score (change values) between pre- and post-operation were calculated and compared. Results: Compared with the traditional group, the operation time and intraoperative bleeding volume in the robotic group were significantly lower and the serum albumin level at 3 days after operation was significantly higher ( P<0.05); the postoperative bedtime and the length of hospital stay were also shorter, but the difference was not significant ( P>0.05). There were 2 cases of poor incision healing in the traditional group, but no complication occurred in the robotic group, and the difference in the incidence of complication between the two groups was not significant ( P>0.05). There were significant differences in the change values of ESR and CRP between the two groups ( P<0.05). All Patients were followed up, and the follow-up time was 12-18 months (mean, 13.0 months) in the traditional group and 12-16 months (mean, 13.0 months) in the robotic group. Imaging review showed that all bone grafts fused, and the difference in fusion time between the two groups was not significant ( P>0.05). The difference in Cobb angle between the pre- and post-operation in the two groups was significant ( P<0.05); and the Cobb angle loss was significant more in the traditional group than in the robotic group ( P<0.05). The VAS scores of the two groups significantly decreased at 6 months after operation when compared with those before operation ( P<0.05); the difference in the change values of VAS scores between the two groups was not significant ( P>0.05). There was no occurrence or aggravation of spinal cord neurological impairment in the two groups after operation. There was a significant difference in ASIA grading between the two groups at 6 months after operation compared to that before operation ( P<0.05), while there was no significant difference between the two groups ( P>0.05). Conclusion: Compared with traditional posterior open operation, the use of robot-assisted minimally invasive access via transforaminal approach for lesion removal and bone grafting internal fixation in the treatment of thoracolumbar tuberculosis can reduce the operation time and intraoperative bleeding, minimizes surgical trauma, and obtain definite effectiveness.

Association between nutritional scores and multilevel vertebral involvement in tubercular spine: a retrospective cohort study.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study is to evaluate the prognostic value of nutritional scores comprising the Controlling Nutritional Status (CONUT) score and the Prognostic Nutritional Index (PNI), in prediction of multilevel vertebral involvement (> 2 vertebra) in Spinal Tuberculosis (STB). METHODS: Retrospective analysis of 39 STB patients was conducted to assess nutritional indices (CONUT and PNI) and the numbers of vertebral affection. Spearman's correlation was used to examine the association between these variables. Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curves were utilized to determine optimal cutoff values, with Area Under the Curve (AUROC) evaluation. Additionally, multiple logistic regression was performed as a predictive model. RESULTS: There were 24 males and 15 females, with a mean BMI of 18.88 kg/m² (± 1.37). Spearman's correlation analysis revealed negative correlations between BMI, PNI (rho - 0.68, p < 0.001) and multilevel vertebra involvement, while ESR (rho 0.83, p < 0.001), CRP (rho 0.81, p < 0.001), and CONUT score (rho 0.83, p < 0.001) positively correlated with multilevel vertebral affection (> 2 vertebra). Age and comorbidities showed no correlation with the level of vertebral affection. ROC analysis revealed a CONUT Score ≥ 3 cutoff (sensitivity-95.7%, specificity-87.5%) and PNI ≤ 38.605 (sensitivity-78.3%, specificity-93.8%) for predicting multilevel STB (> 2). PNI exhibited superior specificity and positive predictive value where as CONUT score was a better parameter for sensitivity, negative predictive value and diagnostic accuracy. Both CONUT score and PNI were significant predictors of vertebral involvement in univariate analysis, with multivariate analysis identifying CONUT score as the sole predictor of multilevel vertebral affection. CONCLUSION: Nutritional scores, including CONUT score and PNI, emerged as significant predictors of multilevel STB. CONUT score displayed superior sensitivity, negative predictive value, and overall diagnostic accuracy, while PNI served as a nutritional marker with high specificity and positive predictive value in predicting multilevel involvement in spinal tuberculosis.

Subcutaneous and paraspinal tuberculous abscesses in a patient with Crohn's disease.

This case involves a man with longstanding Crohn's disease on azathioprine therapy who developed a rare manifestation of tuberculosis, presenting as a subcutaneous tuberculous abscess and tuberculous spondylitis. The patient's immunocompromised state due to azathioprine raised the risk for opportunistic infections. The unique aspects include the absence of disseminated tuberculosis and the development of tuberculous paraspinal and subcutaneous abscesses in a patient with Crohn's disease. The case underscores the importance of vigilance for rare infections in immunosuppressed individuals and highlights the need for tuberculosis screening before initiating immunosuppressive therapies. The patient was successfully treated with antituberculous medication, emphasising the importance of a tailored approach in managing such cases.

Destructive Cryptococcal Osteomyelitis Mimicking Tuberculous Spondylitis.

BACKGROUND Cryptococcosis is an opportunistic fungal infection that typically occurs in patients with compromised immune systems, primarily affecting the respiratory and central nervous systems. However, cryptococcal osteomyelitis is a rare manifestation of cryptococcal infection, characterized by nonspecific clinical features. Here, we present a case of vertebral cryptococcal osteomyelitis in a middle-aged woman and discuss diagnostic approaches. CASE REPORT A 56-year-old woman presented with lower back pain and limited mobility, without fever, and with a history of pulmonary tuberculosis. Physical examination revealed enlarged lymph nodes and tenderness in the thoracic vertebrae. A computed tomography-guided biopsy confirmed granulomatous inflammation caused by Cryptococcus, with abundant 10 µm spherical microbial spores. After 4 weeks of treatment with amphotericin B and fluconazole, symptoms and lesions improved. Upon discharge, the patient was prescribed oral fluconazole. Follow-up examinations showed a stable condition and a negative serum cryptococcal capsular polysaccharide antigen test. CONCLUSIONS Given the rarity and lack of specificity of clinical features of cryptococcal spondylitis, clinicians encountering similar presentations should consider tuberculous spondylitis and spinal tumors as differential diagnoses. Additionally, tissue biopsy of the affected vertebral bodies should be performed early to establish the type of vertebral infection, aiding in diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis.

Differentiation of tuberculous and brucellar spondylitis using conventional MRI-based deep learning algorithms.

PURPOSE: To investigate the feasibility of deep learning (DL) based on conventional MRI to differentiate tuberculous spondylitis (TS) from brucellar spondylitis (BS). METHODS: A total of 383 patients with TS (n = 182) or BS (n = 201) were enrolled from April 2013 to May 2023 and randomly divided into training (n = 307) and validation (n = 76) sets. Sagittal T1WI, T2WI, and fat-suppressed (FS) T2WI images were used to construct single-sequence DL models and combined models based on VGG19, VGG16, ResNet18, and DenseNet121 network. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) was used to assess the classification performance. The AUC of DL models was compared with that of two radiologists with different levels of experience. RESULTS: The AUCs based on VGG19, ResNet18, VGG16, and DenseNet121 ranged from 0.885 to 0.973, 0.873 to 0.944, 0.882 to 0.929, and 0.801 to 0.933, respectively, and VGG19 models performed better. The diagnostic efficiency of combined models outperformed single-sequence DL models. The combined model of T1WI, T2WI, and FS T2WI based on VGG19 achieved optimal performance, with an AUC of 0.973. In addition, the performance of all combined models based on T1WI, T2WI, and FS T2WI was better than that of two radiologists (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: The DL models have potential guiding value in the diagnosis of TS and BS based on conventional MRI and provide a certain reference for clinical work.

Endoscopic decompression of severe post-tuberculosis kyphosis related ossification of the ligamentum flavum: case report and literature review.

PURPOSE: Spinal tuberculosis, if not promptly treated, can lead to kyphotic deformity, causing persistent neurological abnormalities and discomfort. Spinal cord compression can occur due to ossification of the ligamentum flavum (OLF) at the apex of kyphosis. Traditional surgical interventions, including osteotomy and fixation, pose challenges and risks. We present a case of thoracic myelopathy in a patient with post-tuberculosis kyphosis, successfully treated with biportal endoscopic spinal surgery (BESS). METHOD: A 73-year-old female with a history of untreated kyphosis presented with walking difficulties and lower limb pain. Imaging revealed a kyphotic deformity of 120° and OLF-induced cord compression at T8-9. UBE was performed under spinal anesthesia. Using the BESS technique, OLF was successfully removed with minimal damage to the stabilizing structures. RESULTS: The patient exhibited neurological improvement after surgery, walking on the first day without gait instability. Follow-up at 1 year showed no kyphosis progression or recurrence of symptoms. BESS successfully resolved the cord compression lesion with minimal blood loss and damage. CONCLUSION: In spinal tuberculosis-related OLF, conventional open surgery poses challenges. BESS emerges as an excellent alternative, providing effective decompression with reduced instrumentation needs, minimal blood loss, and preservation of surrounding structures. Careful patient selection and surgical planning are crucial for optimal outcomes in endoscopic procedures.

Study on the role and molecular mechanism of METTL3-mediated miR-29a-3p in the inflammatory response of spinal tuberculosis.

BACKGROUND: Spinal Tuberculosis (STB) is a common cause of spinal malformation caused by extrapulmonary tuberculosis in developing countries, which seriously affects the quality of life of patients. It was found that the expression of miRNAs in macrophages was stable, specific and readily available after Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) infection. Our research group determined the differential expression of miR-29a-3p in the vertebra of spinal tuberculosis and intervertebral disc lesions through RNAs chip screening and bioinformatics analysis. However, the specific molecular mechanism of miR-29a-3p in the inflammatory response of spinal tuberculosis remains unclear. OBJECTIVE: In this study, we mainly discussed the expression of miR-29a-3p in the focal tissue of spinal tuberculosis and the role and molecular mechanism of miR-29a-3p mediated by METTL3 in the inflammatory response of spinal tuberculosis. METHODS: The tissues of 15 cases of lumbar degenerative diseases and vertebral lesions of spinal tuberculosis were collected, and the THP-1 macrophage model infected by Mycobacterium tuberculosis was constructed, and verified by qRT-PCR, Western blot, fluorescence in situ hybridization, immunohistochemistry, Cell fluorescence and ELISA. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: We found that the expression of miR-29a-3p was significantly down-regulated in the vertebral body and disc lesion tissues of patients with spinal tuberculosis. Overexpression of miR-29a-3p inhibited the levels of inflammatory factors including tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-1ß (IL-1ß) and interleukin-6 (IL-6), and inhibition of miR-29a-3p expression promoted the release of the levels of TNF-α, IL-1ß and IL-6 inflammatory factors. Our study also shows that knockout of methyltransferase 3 (METTL3) can significantly reduce the expression of miR-29a-3p and promote the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines in macrophages.

The rabbit model for spinal tuberculosis: An overview.

Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection has emerged as a global public health issue, predominantly manifesting as pulmonary tuberculosis. Bone and joint tuberculosis, with spinal tuberculosis accounting for approximately 50%, represents a significant form of extrapulmonary tuberculosis. Over the past years, there has been a rise in the incidence of spinal tuberculosis, and research concerning this area has gained significant attention. At present, animal models provide a means to investigate the pathogenesis, drug resistance, and novel treatment approaches for spinal tuberculosis. New Zealand rabbits, possessing a comparable anatomical structure to humans and capable of reproducing typical pathological features of human tuberculosis, are extensively employed in spinal tuberculosis research using animal models. This article comprehensively evaluates the strengths, considerations in strain selection, various modelling approaches, and practical applications of the rabbit model in studying spinal tuberculosis based on pertinent literature to guide fundamental research in this field by providing valuable insights into appropriate animal model selection.

Machine learning-enabled prediction of prolonged length of stay in hospital after surgery for tuberculosis spondylitis patients with unbalanced data: a novel approach using explainable artificial intelligence (XAI).

BACKGROUND: Tuberculosis spondylitis (TS), commonly known as Pott's disease, is a severe type of skeletal tuberculosis that typically requires surgical treatment. However, this treatment option has led to an increase in healthcare costs due to prolonged hospital stays (PLOS). Therefore, identifying risk factors associated with extended PLOS is necessary. In this research, we intended to develop an interpretable machine learning model that could predict extended PLOS, which can provide valuable insights for treatments and a web-based application was implemented. METHODS: We obtained patient data from the spine surgery department at our hospital. Extended postoperative length of stay (PLOS) refers to a hospitalization duration equal to or exceeding the 75th percentile following spine surgery. To identify relevant variables, we employed several approaches, such as the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO), recursive feature elimination (RFE) based on support vector machine classification (SVC), correlation analysis, and permutation importance value. Several models using implemented and some of them are ensembled using soft voting techniques. Models were constructed using grid search with nested cross-validation. The performance of each algorithm was assessed through various metrics, including the AUC value (area under the curve of receiver operating characteristics) and the Brier Score. Model interpretation involved utilizing methods such as Shapley additive explanations (SHAP), the Gini Impurity Index, permutation importance, and local interpretable model-agnostic explanations (LIME). Furthermore, to facilitate the practical application of the model, a web-based interface was developed and deployed. RESULTS: The study included a cohort of 580 patients and 11 features include (CRP, transfusions, infusion volume, blood loss, X-ray bone bridge, X-ray osteophyte, CT-vertebral destruction, CT-paravertebral abscess, MRI-paravertebral abscess, MRI-epidural abscess, postoperative drainage) were selected. Most of the classifiers showed better performance, where the XGBoost model has a higher AUC value (0.86) and lower Brier Score (0.126). The XGBoost model was chosen as the optimal model. The results obtained from the calibration and decision curve analysis (DCA) plots demonstrate that XGBoost has achieved promising performance. After conducting tenfold cross-validation, the XGBoost model demonstrated a mean AUC of 0.85 ± 0.09. SHAP and LIME were used to display the variables' contributions to the predicted value. The stacked bar plots indicated that infusion volume was the primary contributor, as determined by Gini, permutation importance (PFI), and the LIME algorithm. CONCLUSIONS: Our methods not only effectively predicted extended PLOS but also identified risk factors that can be utilized for future treatments. The XGBoost model developed in this study is easily accessible through the deployed web application and can aid in clinical research.