[Imaging study of soft tissue swelling after anterior cervical corpectomy].

OBJECTIVE: To study the changes of anterior soft tissue swelling after anterior cervical subtotal corpectomy, titanium mesh fusion and internal fixation. METHODS: From November 2015 to July 2018, 151 patients with cervical spondylotic myelopathy were treated with anterior single corpectomy, titanium mesh fusion and internal fixation, including 109 males and 42 females, aged 44 to 81 (59.77±8.34) years. Through postoperative follow up observation, the C2-C7 level of anterior intervertebral space distance was measured to evaluate the changes of anterior soft tissue swelling. RESULTS: All patients were followed up for 15 to 40(28.00±3.52) months. One week after the operation, the swelling of anterior soft tissue reached the peak, and then decreased. At 8 months after the operation, the swelling of anterior soft tissue on C5, C6 and C7 plane returned to normal. At 12 months after the operation, the swelling of anterior soft tissue on C2, C3 and C4 plane returned to normal. CONCLUSION: Anterior subtotal cervical corpectomy, titanium mesh bone graft fusion and internal fixation can cause swelling of the anterior soft tissue. One week after operation, we should pay more attention to the aggravation of the swelling of the anterior soft tissue to avoid the occurrence of dysphagia, respiratory obstruction, asphyxia and other complications.

[Application of posterior arch of the atlasrch resection for high-level cervical dumbbell schwannoma surgery].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the feasibility and clinical effect of hemi-resection of posterior arch of atlas in the upper cervical spinal dumbbell-shaped schwannomas. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was performed on 13 patients with high level cervical dumbbell schwannomas from January 2005 to December 2018, including 10 males and 3 females, aged 19 to 67 years old. The occipital foramen to the C1 were 4 cases and 9 cases of C1,2. Tumors were removed by posterior arch of the atlas resection without internal fixation. The clinical efficacy was evaluated by visual analogue pain scale (VAS), Japanese Orthopaedic Association (JOA) scores, and American Spinal Injury Association(ASIA) ratings. RESULTS: The operation was successfully completed in 13 cases of this group. No vertebral artery injury or spinal cord injury occurred during the operation. All 13 patients were followed up for more than 12 months. No local recurrence was found. Both the VAS and the JOA score were significantly improved compared with those before surgery. The ASIA classification before operation was:1 case of grade C, 6 cases of grade D, 6 cases of grade E;the latest follow up was 3 cases of ASIA grade D and 10 cases of E. CONCLUSION: The posterior arch of the atlas hemisection can remove the upper cervical dumbbell schwannoma in one stage. The short-term clinical effect is good, and there are no complications such as cervical instability.

[Diagnosis and surgical treatment of symptomatic lumbar spinal epidural liposis].

OBJECTIVE: To explore diagnosis and surgical treatment of symptomatic lumbar spinal epidural lipoplasia. METHODS: A retrospective analysis of 19 patients with symptomatic lumbar spinal epidural hyperplasia treated with hemilaminectomy and interbody fusion and internal fixation from February 2012 to November 2018 were performed, including 7 males and 12 females, aged from 48 to 72 years old with an average of (57.6±1.2) years old;the course of disease ranged from 6 to 60 months with an average of (18.6±5.1) months;plane requiring decompression:L2, 3-L5S1 on 4 cases, L2, 3-L4, 5 on 5 cases, L3, 4-L4, 5 on 2 cases, L3, 4-L5S1 on 6 cases, L4, 5-L5S1 on 2 cases. Visual analogue scale (VAS) before operation and 6 months after opertaionwere used to evaluate relief of leg pain and back pain, Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) was used to evaluate recovery of functiona, and Fischgrund was used to assess overall efficacy. RESULTS: All patients were followed up from 12 to 37 months with an average of (16.3±3.8) months. Ninteen patients were successfully completed operation, and all adipose tissues in the compressed segment of the spinal canal were removed. Operation time was from 125 to 260 min with an average of (186± 15) min, and blood bleeding was from 150 to 500 ml with an average of (280±46) ml. Two patients occurred partial incision fat liquefaction and exudate did not heal, the incision was opened to remove effusion, the dressing was changed and anti-inflammatory treatments were performed. No complications such as cauda equina injury, cerebrospinal fluid leakage, and broken nails occurred. Preopertaive VAS of back pain and leg pain were 5.3±0.7 and 6.8±0.8, respectively, while 2.1±0.4 and 2.3±0.5 respectively at 6 months after opertaion, there were statisticalsignificant difference between 6 months after operation and before operation (P<0.05). Postoperative ODI score at 6 months was 12.1±2.3, and significantly improved than that of before operation 45.5±2.8 (P<0.05). According to Fischgrund criteria, 13 patients got excellent result, 4 good, and 2 fair. CONCLUSION: Patients with symptomatic lumbar spinal epidural lipoplasia undergo hemilaminectomy and internal fixation of compression segment could relieve compression of dura mater and cauda equina, and achieve good clinical results.

[Diagnosis, treatment and etiology analysis of nerve compression by bone fragment after lumbar spine surgery].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the diagnosis, treatment, cause and prevention of nerve compression by bone fragment after lumbar spine surgery. METHODS: The clinical data of 23 patients with nerve compression by bone fragment after lumbar spine surgery from February 2012 to March 2019 were collected retrospectively, including 9 males and 14 females, aged 42 to 81 years with an average of (62.60±5.70) years. The surgical methods included lumbar interbody fusion in 20 cases and spinal endoscopy in 3 cases. All 23 patients experienced radiating pain on the decompression side or the contralateral limb after operation. The time of occurrence was from immediately after operation to 2 weeks after operation, with an average of (3.2±1.7) days. All patients underwent postoperative examination of lumbar spine CT or MRI to confirm residual ectopic bone fragments, and at the same time, bilateral lower extremity color Doppler ultrasound excluded thrombosis. Sources of ectopic bone fragments:14 cases of residual bone fragments caused by intervertebral fusion bone graft loss or fenestration fusion, 6 cases of fractured upper articular process head, and 3 cases of upper articular process bone remaining during spinal endoscopic surgery. RESULTS: The patient's hospital stay was 10 to 37 (23.4±6.2) days. All patients were followed up for 6 to 25 (13.6±3.4) months. Three patients underwent posterior open nerve root exploration for removing bone fragments on the same day or the second day after surgery, and the symptoms were relieved. Twenty patients underwent conservative treatment firstly, and 13 patients were discharged after pain relieved by conservative treatment, 7 patients failed conservative treatment, the 2 cases of failed 7 cases had undergone nerve root block surgery during conservative treatment. Two patients underwent spinal endoscopy nerve root exploration and bone mass removal, and five patients underwent posterior open nerve root exploration and bone fragmentation removal. All postoperative pain symptoms were relieved. Preoperative CT, MRI and intraoperative bone fragment removal confirmed the shape and location of the bone fragments. The most likely source of bone fragments was the loss of intervertebral fusion bone grafts or residual bone fragments resulting from fenestration fusion (14 cases), fractured upper articular process head (6 cases), and upper articular process bones remaining in endoscopic surgery (3 cases). According to the Macnab criteria in evaluating clinical outcome, 20 cases got excellent results and 3 good. CONCLUSION: After the lumbar spine surgery, the nerve compression by bone fragments is treated with appropriate treatments, and good clinical results can be obtained. Timely removal of residual bone fragments during operation and careful exploration of nerve roots before closing incision can avoid such complications.

[Significance of plasmic homocysteine, folate and Vitamin B(12) in ulcerative colitis].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the clinical significance of plasmic homocysteine (Hcy), folate (FA) and Vitamin B(12) (VitB(12)) in patients with ulcerative colitis (UC). METHODS: Plasmic Hcy in 112 cases of UC patients and 110 controls were detected by HPLC-FD method. Plasmic FA, VitB(12) in 76 cases of UC patients and 12 controls were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method. RESULTS: The level of plasmic Hcy in UC patients was(11.27±7.26) µmol/L, significantly higher than that in controls[(8.19±4.81) µmol/L, P<0.05], and was not significantly correlated with disease index, extent and duration of UC(P>0.05). The level of FA and VitB(12) in UC patients were (7.64±1.95) nmol/L and (108.64±32.22) pmol/L respectively, lower than those in controls[(9.14±1.23) nmol/L and (112.64±33.33) pmol/L, P<0.05]. The level of plasmic Hcy was negatively correlated with the level of FA and VitB(12) in UC patients(P<0.05). The level of plasmic FA decreased to some extent with UC disease duration. CONCLUSION: Plasmic Hcy is elevated in UC patients, which may be related to the decrease of FA and VitB(12).

Involvement of cytochrome P450 3A4 and P-glycoprotein in first-pass intestinal extraction of omeprazole in rabbits.

AIM: To quantitatively evaluate in vivo first-pass intestinal extraction of omeprazole and to investigate the possible involvement of cytochrome P450 3A4 (CYP3A4) and P-glycoprotein (P-gp) in this process in rabbits. METHODS: Pharmacokinetic parameters were examined after intraduodenal (id), intraportal venous (ipv), and intravenous (iv) administration of omeprazole at various doses to intestinal and vascular access-ported rabbits. Extraction ratios in the liver and intestinal tract were determined from the area under the plasma concentration-time curve (AUC). In addition, omeprazole was administered by id or iv to rabbits alone or 30 min after the id administration of CYP3A4 or P-gp inhibitors (ketoconazole or verapamil, respectively). RESULTS: Pharmacokinetic parameters of omeprazole were dose-dependent after id, ipv, and iv administration at various doses. After id administration of 3 mg/kg omeprazole, the hepatic and intestinal extraction ratio was 57.18%+/-2.73% and 54.94%+/-1.85%, while the value was 59.29%+/-3.14% and 54.20%+/-1.53% after given 6 mg/kg, respectively. Compared with the control group, the presence of ketoconazole (60 mg/kg) or verapamil (9 mg/kg) significantly increased the area under the plasma concentration time curve (AUC) and the peak concentration (C(max)) of id-administered omeprazole, while it had no significant effect on omeprazole administered by iv. CONCLUSION: Oral omeprazole undergoes marked extraction in the small intestine, and increased bioavailability of the drug after id administration of ketoconazole and verapamil suggests that this increase results from inhibition of CYP3A4 and P-gp function in the intestine rather than the liver.

5-aminosalicylic acid in combination with nimesulide inhibits proliferation of colon carcinoma cells in vitro.

AIM: To investigate the effects of 5-aminosalicylic acid (5-ASA) in combination with nimesulide on the proliferation of HT-29 colon carcinoma cells and its potential mechanisms. METHODS: Inhibitory effects of drugs (5-ASA, nimesulide and their combination) on HT-29 colon carcinoma cells were investigated by thiazolyl blue tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. Cellular apoptosis and proliferation were detected by TUNEL assay and immunocytochemical staining, respectively. RESULTS: Pretreatment with 5-ASA or nimesulide at the concentration of 10-1000 micromol/L inhibited proliferation of HT-29 colon carcinoma cells in a dose-dependent manner in vitro (t=5.122, P<0.05; t=3.086, P<0.05, respectively). The inhibition rate of HT-29 colon carcinoma cell proliferation was also increased when pretreated with 5-ASA (100 micromol/L) or nimesulide (100 micromol/L) for 12-96 h, which showed an obvious time-effect relationship (t=6.149, P<0.05; t=4.159, P<0.05, respectively). At the concentration of 10-500 micromol/L, the apoptotic rate of HT-29 colon carcinoma cells significantly increased (t=18.156, P<0.001; t=19.983, P<0.001, respectively), while expression of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) was remarkably decreased (t=6.828, P<0.05; t=14.024, P<0.05, respectively). 5-ASA in combination with nimesulide suppressed the proliferation of HT-29 colon carcinoma cells more than either of these agents in a dose-dependent and time-dependent manner (t=5.448, P<0.05; t=4.428, P<0.05, respectively). CONCLUSION: 5-ASA and nimesulide may inhibit the proliferation of HT-29 colon carcinoma cells and coadministration of these agents may have additional chemopreventive potential.