Multi-rod posterior correction only with halo-femoral traction for the management of adult neuromuscular scoliosis (> 100°) with severe pelvic obliquity: a minimum 5-year follow-up.

BACKGROUND: Many patients with neuromuscular scoliosis (NMS) experience a variety of difficult medical problems that aggravate the development effects of progressive scoliosis and pelvic obliquity (PO). The objective of the current study was to assess the safety and effectiveness of multi-rod posterior correction only (MRPCO) with halo-femoral traction (HFT) for the management of adult NMS (> 100°) with severe PO. METHODS: From 2012 to 2017, 13 adult patients who suffered from NMS (> 100°) with severe PO underwent MRPCO with HFT. The radiography parameters in a sitting position, such as the coronal Cobb angle of the main curve, the PO and the trunk shift (TS), were measured at the preoperative, postoperative and final follow-up stages. The preoperative and final follow-up assessment of the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) and Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) was taken. RESULTS: The average follow-up span was 68.15 ± 6.78 months. There was decreased postoperative coronal Cobb angle with an average mean of 125.24° ± 11.78° to 47.55° ± 12.10°, with a correction rate of 62.43%; the PO was reduced to 6.25° ± 1.63° from 36.93° ± 4.25° with a correction rate of 83.07%; the TS was reduced to 2.41 cm ± 1.40 cm from 9.19 cm ± 3.07 cm. There was significant improvement in all parameters compared to the preoperative data. The VAS score reduced from 4.77 ± 0.93 to 0.69 ± 0.75, and the ODI score reduced from 65.38 ± 16.80 to 28.62 ± 12.29 at the final follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: Treatment of adult NMS (> 100°) with severe PO could be safe and effective with MRPCO with HFT. In order to obtain the optimum sitting balance, this could reduce the prevalence of complications and rectify the curvature and the correction of PO.

PECAM1 plays a role in the pathogenesis and treatment of bone metastases.

Bone is the third most common metastatic site for all primary tumors, the common primary focus of bone metastases include breast cancer, prostate cancer, and so on. And the median survival time of patients with bone metastases is only 2-3 years. Therefore, it is urgent to develop new targets to diagnose and treat bone metastases. Based on two data sets GSE146661 and GSE77930 associated with bone metastases, it was found that 209 genes differentially expressed in bone metastases group and control group. PECAM1 was selected as hub-gene for the follow-up research after constructing protein-protein interaction (PPI) network and enrichment analysis. Moreover, q-PCR analysis verified that the expression of PECAM1 decreased in bone metastatic tumor tissues. PECAM1 was believed to be possibly related to the function of osteoclasts, we knocked down the expression of PECAM1 with shRNA in lymphocytes extracted from bone marrow nailed blood. The results indicated that sh-PECAM1 treatment could promote osteoclast differentiation, and the sh-PECAM1-treated osteoclast culture medium could significantly promote the proliferation and migration of tumor cells. These results suggested that PECAM1 may be a potential biomarker for the diagnosis and treatment of bone metastases of tumor.

The pre-surgical role of halo-traction in patients with cervical infection associated with refractory kyphosis: a retrospective study.

To minimize surgical complications and staged procedures halo-traction is often used during deformity corrections. But the use of halo-traction in the treatment of refractory cervical kyphosis secondary to infections has never been reported. This study investigated the role of halo-traction in the treatment of cervical infection patients associated with refractory kyphosis. We retrospectively reviewed 48 patients with cervical infection associated with refractory kyphosis who were treated in our spine department. Patients were divided into two groups, the traction group (A) and the non-traction group (B). Group A underwent preoperative halo-traction followed by surgery, while group B underwent surgery alone. Between the two groups, we analyzed the kyphosis deformity correction, level of fusions, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), C-reactive protein (CRP), functional improvement by Neck disability index (NDI) score, and complications. Group A had a better correction of kyphosis deformity compared to group B (27.01 ± 11.54)0 versus (18.08 ± 10.04)0 (P = 0.01, Z = - 2.44). No statistically significant differences between the two groups in terms of functional improvement, level of fusions, ESR and CRP. Group B had 3 revision surgery cases. Preoperative halo-traction followed by surgery is superior in kyphosis correction in the treatment of patients with cervical infections with refractory kyphosis.

Strategy and Efficacy of Surgery for Congenital Cervicothoracic Scoliosis with or without Hemivertebra Osteotomy.

OBJECTIVE: Cervicothoracic scoliosis will cause severe deformities in the early stage, and its structure is complex and the surgical methods are varied. The purpose of this research is to explore the indication and analyze the corrective effect of the two different posterior approach surgical strategies, including correction with fusion and hemivertebra osteotomy, for congenital cervicothoracic scoliosis deformities in children and adolescents. METHODS: This was a retrospective study of 21 patients with cervicothoracic scoliosis who received surgical treatment from January 2010 to June 2020, including nine cases of posterior hemivertebra osteotomy and fusion surgery and 12 cases of posterior correction and fusion alone. The Cobb angle, T1 tilt angle, clavicular angle, neck tilt angle, radiographic shoulder height, sagittal vertical axis, coronal balance distance, and local kyphosis angle were measured preoperatively, postoperatively, and at the last follow-up. Posterior approach hemivertebra resection or correction with fusion surgery was adopted based on the different individual characteristics of deformity such as main curve Cobb angle, growth potential, and flexibility. Patients were divided into two groups (osteotomy group and nonosteotomy group) according to whether a hemivertebra osteotomy was performed, and the corrective results in the two groups were compared. Paired-sample t tests or independent-sample t tests were used. RESULTS: The median follow-up after surgery of the 21 patients was 36 months (range, 18-72 months). The Cobb angle was corrected from 45.81° ± 14.23° preoperatively to 10.48° ± 5.56° postoperatively (correction rate, 77.78% ± 8.93%). The T1 tilt angle decreased from 15.26° ± 7.08° preoperatively to 3.33° ± 2.14° postoperatively (correction rate,73.42% ± 21.86%). The radiographic shoulder height was corrected from 1.13 ± 0.74 cm preoperatively to 0.52 ± 0.42 cm postoperatively (correction rate, 39.51% ± 35.65%). The clavicular angle improved from 2.52° ± 1.55° preoperatively to 1.16° ± 0.96° postoperatively (correction rate, 47.18% ± 35.84%). No significant differences were found at the last follow-up (p > 0.05). The Cobb angle of the main curve, T1 tilt angle, clavicular angle, cervical tilt angle, and shoulder height difference were similar in the two groups (p > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Posterior approach hemivertebra resection or correction with fusion surgery can be used in the treatment of congenital cervicothoracic scoliosis with satisfactory results, and the surgeon can make an individualized surgical plan according to individual characteristics of deformity.

Posterior-only debridement, bone fusion, single-segment versus short-segment instrumentation for mono-segmental lumbar or lumbosacral pyogenic vertebral osteomyelitis: minimum five year follow-up outcomes.

BACKGROUND: Pyogenic vertebral osteomyelitis (PVO), which is a potentially life-threatening condition and is associated with significant morbidity and mortality, is a cause of back pain that can lead to neurologic deficits if not diagnosed in time and effectively treated. The objective of this study is to compare the efficacy of posterior single-segment and short-segment fixation combined with one-stage posterior debridement and fusion for the treatment of mono-segmental lumbar or lumbosacral PVO. METHODS: Charts of all patients with mono-segmental lumbar or lumbosacral PVO were treated by single-stage posterior debridement, bone graft fusion, and pedicle screw fixation from April 2012 to January 2016. All patients were divided into two groups: sinlge-segment fixation (Group A, n = 31) and short-segment fixation (Group B, n = 36). These patients were followed up for a minimum of five years. The clinical efficacy was evaluated and compared on average operation time, blood loss, visual analog scale (VAS), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), C-Reactive protein (CRP), neurological function recovery and local lordotic angle. RESULTS: All 67 patients were completely cured during the follow-up. All patients had significant improvement of neurological condition and pain relief at the final follow-up. The VAS was 7.1 ± 0.7 in group A and 7.2 ± 0.6 in group B pre-operatively, which decreased to 2.1 ± 0.6 and 2.0 ± 0.7, respectively, at three months after surgery, then reduced to 0.4 ± 0.5 and 0.5 ± 0.5, respectively, at the final follow-up. ESR, CRP returned to normal limits in all patients 3 months after surgery. The mean blood loss and operation time in group A were less than that in group B (P < 0.05). The local lordotic angle in group A was increased from preoperative - 1.7 ± 7.9° to postoperative 5.8 ± 7.1°, with angle loss of 1.5 ± 0.8° at the final follow-up, respectively (P < 0.05). The local lordotic angle in group B was increased from preoperative - 1.6 ± 7.8° to postoperative 13.5 ± 6.2°, with angle loss of 1.3 ± 0.8° at the final follow-up, respectively (P < 0.05). In the mean postoperative local lordotic angle, there was significant difference between the two groups at the time of immediate postoperative period or the final follow-up (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Posterior-only debridement, interbody graft using titanium mesh cage, posterior single-segment instrumentation and fusion represent a safe and effective treatment option for selected patients with mono-segmental lumbar and lumbosacral PVO. This approach may preserve more lumbar normal motor units with less blood loss and operation time when compared with that of short-segment fixation. But short-segment fixation was superior to the single-segment fixation in the correction of kyphosis.

Retrospective analysis of deformed complex vertebral osteotomy in children with severe thoracic post-tubercular angular kyphosis.

BACKGROUND: Many surgical options have been described to manage post-tubercular kyphosis, but the standard approach for treating severe post-tubercular angular kyphosis in children has not been established yet. The present study was performed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of deformed complex vertebral osteotomy (DCVO) for the treatment of severe thoracic post-tubercular angular kyphosis (> 70°) in children. METHODS: Deformed complex vertebrae indicated that multiple deformed and fused vertebrae were usually involved with two or more vertebral bodies and the partial or total fusion of many segments' facet joints and intervertebral discs. Thus, DCVO indicated that a wider posterior wedge-shaped and three-column osteotomy was performed within deformed complex vertebrae to correct a more extensive range of angles. From 2010 to 2017, 15 children who suffered from severe thoracic post-tubercular angular kyphosis underwent DCVO. Deformed complex vertebrae involved two vertebral bodies in 9 patients and three vertebral bodies in 6 patients. The Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) and Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) were assessed preoperatively and at the final follow up. This was a retrospective study analysing the outcome after grade 4/5 spinal osteotomies in deformed complex vertebrae. RESULTS: The mean duration of surgery was 239 ± 37.81 min. The average period of follow-up was 31.6 ± 6.98 months. The preoperative mean kyphosis of deformed complex vertebrae was 83.39° ± 9.04°; the mean thoracic kyphosis (TK) and lumbar lordosis (LL) were 81.09° ± 8.51° and 80.51° ± 7.64°, respectively; the mean sagittal vertical axis (SVA) was 3.83 cm ± 1.43 cm. The postoperative mean kyphosis of deformed complex vertebrae was reduced to 19.98° ± 2.47° (P < 0.001) with a mean kyphosis correction of 63.41°; at the final follow up, it was 18.4° ± 2.29° (P < 0.001) without obvious loss of correction. The postoperative mean TK, LL, and SVA were reduced to 24.05° ± 3.84°, 46.9° ± 3.53°, and 0.6 cm ± 0.34 cm, respectively (P < 0.001 for all); and there was no obvious loss of sagittal alignment and balance at the final follow up (p = 0.982, p = 0.604, p = 0.754). Complicated with neural dysfunction preoperatively, 5 Frankel's grade D cases showed complete neurological recovery at final follow up. VAS score reduced from 3.6 ± 1.18 to 0.87 ± 0.64 (P < 0.001); and ODI score reduced from 22.21 ± 6.93 to 5.02 ± 2.6 (P < 0.001) at the final follow up. CONCLUSIONS: DCVO was an individualized osteotomy for treating severe thoracic post-tubercular angular kyphosis in children and could be safe and effective in reducing the incidence of complications and significantly improving kyphosis correction.

Minimum 5-year follow-up outcomes for one-stage posterior instrumentation without neurosurgery intervention for correction of scoliosis associated with Chiari I malformation and syringomyelia.

INTRODUCTION: Traditionally, the common belief has been that, all patients with Chiari I malformation (CM-1) and syringomyelia (SM) undergoing a neurosurgical procedure even if they are neurologically asymptomatic. As the pathology of CM-1 and SM has become better understood, the traditional concepts have been challenged. The objective of this study was to investigate the minimum 5-year follow-up clinical outcomes of surgical treatment of patients with scoliosis associated with CM-1 and SM and to evaluate the necessity of neurosurgical intervention before corrective surgery. METHODS: This retrospective study was performed from May 2009 to September 2014. We enrolled 35 patients with scoliosis associated with CM-1 and SM who were undergoing spinal correction surgery without neurosurgical intervention. During the surgery, spinal cord monitor and wake-up test were used. Preoperative, postoperative, and final follow-up major curve coronary Cobb angle, correction rate, apical vertebral rotation (AVR), apical vertebral translation (AVT), thoracic kyphosis angle (T5-T12), lumbar lordosis angle (L1-S1) were analyzed on radiographs. RESULTS: The mean follow-up period was 82.5 months. The preoperative and postoperative mean curve coronary Cobb angle was from 55.7 ± 7.5° to 20.1 ± 5.8°, correction rate was 63.9%, AVR from 2.8 ± 0.6° to 1.3 ± 0.5°, AVT from 5.1 ± 1.4 to 1.7 ± 0.7 cm, thoracic kyphosis angle from 18.7 ± 4.0° to 32.2 ± 2.7°, lumbar lordosis angle from 36.3 ± 4.1° to 43.8 ± 3.2°. No neurological deficits occurred during the operation and follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: Our minimum 5-year follow-up outcomes showed that in a distinct patient population of neurologically asymptomatic individuals with CM-1, SM and progressive scoliosis, posterior instrumented spinal deformity surgery can be safely done without neurosurgical interverventions with the help of preoperative flexibility evaluation and intraoperative neuromonitoring.

Posterior-only surgical correction with heavy halo-femoral traction for the treatment of extremely severe and rigid adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (> 130°).

INTRODUCTION: The treatment of extremely severe and rigid spinal deformities was a great surgical challenge. Pulmonary impairment often occurred, which increased the challenges to already daunting surgical approaches. The present study was performed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of posterior-only surgical correction with heavy halo-femoral traction (HFT) for the treatment of extremely severe and rigid adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) of more than 130°. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From 2010 to 2017, 11 patients suffered from extremely severe and rigid AIS of more than 130° underwent posterior-only surgical correction with HFT. The preoperative mean coronal Cobb angle of major curve was 139.01° ± 5.83°, and the mean flexibility was 17.21% ± 3.33%; the mean angle of thoracic kyphosis (TK) and lumbar lordosis (LL) were 65.02° ± 7.21° and 39.05° ± 4.08°, respectively; the mean trunk shift (TS) and sagittal vertical axis (SVA) were 3.3 ± 0.97 cm and 3.97 ± 1.16 cm, respectively; moreover, the percent forced vital capacity (FVC%) and percent forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1%) were 50.08% ± 6.07% and 53.46% ± 5.96%, respectively; the mean body height and weight were 140.09 ± 4.95 cm and 37 ± 4.34 kg, respectively. RESULTS: The mean duration of surgery was 335.91 ± 48.31 min and blood loss was 1590 ± 520.1 ml. The average period of follow-up was 32.18 ± 8.17 months. After heavy HFT, the mean coronal Cobb angle of major curve was reduced to 82.98° ± 6.91° with correction rate of 40.39%. After posterior-only surgical correction, the mean coronal Cobb angle was further reduced to 51.17° ± 5.4° with correction rate of 63.27%. The postoperative mean TK, LL, TS and SVA were improved to 23.85° ± 5.14°, 44.95° ± 2.26°, 1.32 ± 0.72 cm and 1.42 ± 0.83 cm, respectively. At the final follow-up, the corrective loss rate of Cobb angle was only 0.72%; moreover, the mean FVC% and FEV1% were increased to 65.45% ± 5.29% and 69.08% ± 5.32% with improvement of 15.36% and 15.62%, respectively; the mean body height and weight were increased to 154.45 ± 5.32 cm and 45 ± 4.02 kg with improvement of 14.36 cm and 8 kg, respectively. The spinal cord function was stable, and there were no new neurological symptoms after correction. CONCLUSIONS: Posterior-only surgical correction with heavy HFT could be safe and effective for the treatment of extremely severe and rigid AIS of more than 130° in reducing the incidence of complications and greatly improving curve correction.

The role of endocrine hormones in the pathogenesis of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis.

Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) is a common spinal deformity characterized by changes in the three-dimensional structure of the spine. It usually initiates during puberty, the peak period of human growth when the secretion of numerous hormones is changing, and it is more common in females than in males. Accumulating evidence shows that the abnormal levels of many hormones including estrogen, melatonin, growth hormone, leptin, adiponectin and ghrelin, may be related to the occurrence and development of AIS. The purpose of this review is to provide a summary and critique of the research published on each hormone over the past 20 years, and to highlight areas for future study. It is hoped that the presentation will help provide a better understanding of the role of endocrine hormones in the pathogenesis of AIS.

Lower androgen levels promote abnormal cartilage development in female patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis.

BACKGROUND: Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) is a disease characterized by changes in the three-dimensional structure of the spine. Studies have shown that the development of AIS might be associated with genetic, biomechanics, endocrine factors and abnormal bone or cartilage development. METHODS: Blood samples collected from 301 female patients (161 females with AIS and 140 females without AIS) were used for genotyping. Forty-eight serum samples from 161 females with AIS and 40 serum samples from 140 females without AIS were subjected to enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs). We also evaluated 32 facet joints (18 females with AIS and 14 females without AIS from the 301 female patients) using immunohistochemistry, Western blotting, and isolation of human primary chondrocytes, among other methods. We treated the AIS primary chondrocytes with dihydrotestosterone (DHT) to verify the relationship among androgen, the androgen receptor (AR), and its downstream pathway proteins. RESULTS: The serum androgen level in the AIS group was significantly decreased (1.94±0.09 vs. 2.284±0.103) compared with that in the non-AIS (control) group. The single nucleotide polymorphism genotyping results showed that the mutation rates of rs6259 between the AIS and control groups were significantly different (G/G genotype: 48.4% vs. 42.1%, G/A genotype: 40.4% vs. 35.7%, P<0.05). The levels of interleukin (IL)-6 and metalloproteinase (MMP)-13 were increased in the cartilage of AIS patients, and these patients also exhibited decreased AR levels. The cell experiment results showed that androgen reduced the degree of abnormal cartilage development in female AIS patients through the AR/IL-6/signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) signaling pathway. CONCLUSIONS: Our study provides a new perspective on the pathogenesis of AIS and indicates that decreased androgen levels in female AIS patients play a potential role in the development of AIS via the AR/IL-6/STAT3 signaling pathway.

Deformed Complex Vertebral Osteotomy Technique for Management of Severe Congenital Spinal Angular Kyphotic Deformity.

OBJECTIVES: To (i) introduce the deformed complex vertebral osteotomy (DCVO) technique for the treatment of severe congenital angular spinal kyphosis; (ii) evaluate the sagittal correction efficacy of the DCVO technique; and (iii) discuss the advantages and limitations of the DCVO technique. METHODS: Multiple malformed vertebrae were considered a malformed complex, and large-range and angle wedge osteotomy was performed within the complex using the DCVO technique. Patients with local kyphosis greater than 80° who were treated with DCVO and did not have tumors, infections, or a history of surgery were included. A retrospective case study was performed in these patients with severe angular kyphosis who underwent the DCVO technique from 2008 to 2016. Demographic data, the operating time, and the volume of intraoperative blood loss were collected. Spinopelvic parameters (pelvic incidence [PI], pelvic tilt [PT], and sacral slope [SS]), local and global sagittal parameters (deformity angle, thoracic kyphosis [TK], and lumbar lordosis [LL]), visual analog scale (VAS) score, and Oswestry disability index (ODI) score were recorded pre- and postoperatively. Paired t-tests (α = 0.05) were used for all data (to compare the mean preoperative value with the mean postoperative and most recent follow-up values). P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS: Twenty-nine patients with a mean age of 34 years (range, 15-55) were included in the final analysis. Seventeen patients were male, and 12 were female. The mean follow-up was 44 months (range, 26-62). The mean operating time was 299 min (range, 260-320 min). The mean blood loss was 2110 mL (range, 1500-2900 mL). Three patients had T7 -T8 deformities (3/29, 10.3%), six had T8 -T9 deformities (6/29, 20.7%), six had T9 -T10 deformities (6/29, 20.7%), 10 had T10 -T11 deformities (10/29, 34.5%), three had T11 -T12 deformities (3/29, 10.3%), and one had T9 -T11 deformities (1/29, 3.4%). The mean local deformity angle significantly improved from 94.9° ± 10.8° to 24.0° ± 2.3° through the DCVO technique, with no significant loss at the follow-up. Moreover, the global sagittal parameters and spinopelvic parameters exhibited ideal magnitudes of improvement; TK decreased from 86.1° ± 12.1° to 28.7° ± 2.5°, LL improved from 94.5° ± 4.1° to 46.1° ± 3.0°, and PI minus LL improved from -60.9° ± 6.5° to -13.7° ± 2.6°. Both the VAS and ODI scores significantly improved at the last follow-up. CSF fistula and neural injury did not occur during the perioperative period. At the last follow-up, fixation failure was not observed. CONCLUSION: The DCVO technique provides an alternative and effective method for the treatment of congenital severe angular spinal kyphotic deformities and may decrease the occurrence of perioperative complications.

rs6127698 polymorphism in the MC3R gene and susceptibility to multifocal tuberculosis in southern Chinese Han population.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationship between melanocortin-3 receptor (MC3R) gene polymorphism and tuberculosis (TB) susceptibility in Han population in southern China. METHODS: A total of 341 patients with TB (173 with pulmonary TB and 168 with multifocal TB) and 359 healthy controls were enrolled. Genotyping was performed by PCR and DNA sequencing, and detection of protein was performed by western blot. RESULTS: The distributions of genotype and allele frequencies of rs6127698 differed significantly between the pulmonary and multifocal TB groups, and between the multifocal TB and control groups. The GG genotype was significantly more common among multifocal TB patients than among pulmonary TB patients (P = .009) and those in the control group (P = .001) under the recessive model. GG+GT genotype was more common in multifocal TB than in pulmonary TB (P < .01) and control group (P < .01) under the dominant model. G allele was more common in multifocal TB than in pulmonary TB (P < .0167) and control group (P < .0167). Patients with multifocal TB had an increased expression of MC3R protein than healthy controls (P < .05). CONCLUSIONS: In the southern Chinese Han population, the MC3R rs6127698 polymorphism, which accompanying an increased expression of MC3R protein,was associated with susceptibility to multifocal TB. Presence of the G allele increased the risk of developing multifocal TB.

Advances on research of physical environment affecting stem cell differentiation in ligament tissue engineering / 中国骨伤

Ligament tissue engineering is currently a novel approach to the treatment of ligament injury, which can replace the deficiency of autografts. Ligament tissue engineering consists of four basic elements:seed cells, nanoscaffolds, growth factors, and mechanical stimulation. At present, the main problem in ligament tissue engineering is how to control seed cells to ligament cells more controllly. The study found that each physical property of the natural bio ligament and mechanical stimulation (uniaxial stretching) plays an important role in the differentiation of stem cells into ligament cells. Therefore, the design of nanofiber scaffolds must consider the elastic modulus of the material and the material. Structure(material arrangement, porosity and diameter, etc.), elastic modulus and material structure in different ranges will guide cells to differentiate into different lineages. Considering that the ligament is the main force-bearing tissue of the human body, mechanical stimulation is also essential for stem cell differentiation, especially uniaxial stretching, which best meets the stress of the ligament in the body. A large number of studies have found the frequency and amplitude of stretching. And time will also lead the cells to differentiate in different directions. RhoA/ROCK plays a regulatory role in cytoskeletal remodeling and cell differentiation. It is also found that RhoA/ROCK protein participates in the process of nanofiber arrangement and uniaxial stretching to guide stem cells to differentiate into ligament cells, specifically how to influence stem cell differentiation. It is not clear at present that understanding the effects of physical properties on stem cell differentiation and understanding the mechanism of action of RhoA/ROCK protein will provide a new theoretical basis for further optimization of ligament tissue engineering.

Minimum 5-Year Follow-Up Outcomes for Comparison Between Titanium Mesh Cage and Allogeneic Bone Graft to Reconstruct Anterior Column Through Posterior Approach for the Surgical treatment of Thoracolumbar Spinal Tuberculosis with Kyphosis.

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to compare the clinical efficacy of titanium mesh cage with that of allogeneic bone graft to reconstruct the anterior column through posterior approach for the surgical management of patients with thoracolumbar spinal tuberculosis with kyphosis. METHODS: From January 2011 to March 2013, 57 patients with single-segment or two-segments thoracolumbar spinal tuberculosis with kyphosis were treated by debridement, interbody graft, posterior instrumentation, and fusion via a posterior-only procedure. Twenty-four patients in group A were treated with allogeneic bone graft to reconstruct the anterior column, whereas 33 patients in group B were treated with titanium mesh cage. The clinical efficacy was evaluated by visual analog scale (VAS), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), C-reactive protein (CRP), neurologic function recovery, kyphotic Cobb angle, and postoperative complications. RESULTS: The mean follow-up was 72.4 months. Neurologic function was significantly improved after surgery in all cases. There were significant differences of VAS, ESR, and CRP between preoperation and postoperation at the final follow-up, with no significant difference between the two groups. The kyphotic Cobb correction was significantly improved when compared with those in preoperation, but there was no significant difference between the two groups. One patient in group A with two segments involved experienced graft fracture. He had anterior bone graft with titanium mesh cage. CONCLUSIONS: Minimum 5-year follow-up outcomes showed that one-stage posterior focus debridement, interbody graft using titanium mesh cages, posterior instrumentation, and fusion is an effective treatment for patients with thoracolumbar spinal tuberculosis accompanied by kyphosis. It may obtain better clinical efficacy than allogeneic bone graft for treating two-segments thoracolumbar spinal tuberculosis.

P2X7 receptor in spinal tuberculosis: Gene polymorphisms and protein levels in Chinese Han population.

Spinal tuberculosis (TB) accounts for 1%-5% of all TB infections. Host genetic variation influences susceptibility to Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB). P2X7 receptor (P2X7R) expressed on cells has been identified as a regulatory molecule in cell death/apoptosis, killing of intercellular pathogens, and bone turnover. This study investigated the P2X7 gene polymorphisms and protein levels in spinal TB. P2X7 gene -762C>T and 489C>T polymorphisms were genotyped. The expression of P2X7R in bone or intervertebral disc (ID) tissues was analyzed by Western blot assay. The -762C>T and 489C>T polymorphisms were associated with susceptibility to spinal TB. Having the -762CC genotype and -762C allele increased the risk of developing spinal TB (CC vs. TT: P=0.031, OR [95%CI]=1.865 [1.053-3.304]; C vs. T: P=0.028, OR [95%CI]=1.355 [1.034-1.775]). The presence of the 489T allele was associated with an increased risk of developing spinal TB (TT vs. CC: P=0.004, OR [95%CI]=2.248 [1.283-3.939]; CT vs. CC: P=0.044, OR [95%CI]=1.755 [1.011-3.047]; T vs. C: P=0.004, OR [95%CI]=1.482 [1.134-1.936]; TT+CT vs. CC: P=0.010, OR [95%CI]=1.967 [1.171-3.304]; TT vs. CT+CC: P=0.037, OR [95%CI]=1.489 [1.023-2.167]). The expression of P2X7R in TB-induced bone lesions increased significantly among spinal TB patients (t=0.011). Carrying the P2X7 -762CC genotype and 489T allele is associated with an increased risk of developing spinal TB in a Southern Chinese Han population.

Debridement, interbody graft using titanium mesh cages, posterior instrumentation and fusion in the surgical treatment of multilevel noncontiguous spinal tuberculosis in elderly patients via a posterior-only.

PURPOSE: To analyse the efficacy and feasibility of surgical management for elderly patients with multilevel non-contiguous spinal tuberculosis(MNSTB)by using one-stage posterior focus debridement, interbody graft using titanium mesh cages, posterior instrumentation and fusion. METHODS: From September 2009 to October 2013, 15 elderly patients with MNSTB were treated with one-stage posterior focus debridement, interbody graft using titanium mesh cages, posterior instrumentation and fusion. There were 10 males and 5 females with a mean age of 63.2 years (range: 60-68 years) at the time of surgery. The mean follow-up time was 40 months(range 26-68 months). Patients were evaluated before and after surgery in terms of erythrocyte sedimentation rate(ESR), neurological status, pain and kyphotic angle. RESULTS: The spinal tuberculosis was completely cured, and the grafted bones were fused in all 15 patients. There were no recurrent tuberculous infections. The ESR reached a normal level within 3 months in all patients. The ASIA neurological classification improved in all cases, and pain relief was reported by all patients. The average preoperative kyphosis was 20.1° (range 8-38°) and decreased to 7.6° (range 1-18°) postoperatively. There was no significant loss of the correction at the latest follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: Our results showed that one-stage posterior focus debridement, interbody graft using titanium mesh cages, posterior instrumentation and fusion was an effective treatment for elderly patients with MNSTB. It is characterized by minimum surgical trauma, good neurological recovery, and good correction of kyphosis.

Polymorphisms in the SP110 and TNF-α Gene and Susceptibility to Pulmonary and Spinal Tuberculosis among Southern Chinese Population.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the association of single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in SP110 gene and TNF-α gene among pulmonary TB (PTB) and spinal TB (STB) patients. METHODS: In a total of 190 PTB patients, 183 STB patients were enrolled as the case group and 362 healthy individuals at the same geographical region as the control group. The SP110 SNPs (rs722555 and rs1135791) and the promoter -308G>A (rs1800629) and -238G>A (rs361525) polymorphisms in TNF-α were genotyped. Results. TNF-α -238G>A polymorphism was involved in susceptibility to STB, but not to PTB. The TNF-α -238 A allele was a protective factor against STB (A versus G: OR [95% CI] = 0.331 [0.113-0.972], P = 0.044). Furthermore, the presence of the -238 A allele was considered a trend to decrease the risk of STB (AG versus GG: P = 0.062, OR [95% CI] = 0.352 [0.118-1.053]; AA + AG versus GG: P = 0.050, OR [95CI%] = 0.335 [0.113-0.999]). However, SP110 SNPs (rs722555 and rs1135791) and TNF-α -308G>A (rs1800629) showed no association with PTB and STB in all genetic models. CONCLUSION: The TNF-α -238 A allele appeared a protective effect against STB, whereas the SP110 SNPs (rs722555 and rs1135791) and TNF-α -308G>A (rs1800629) showed no association with susceptibility to PTB and STB patients in southern China.

[Debridement, internal fixation, and reconstruction with titanium mesh for the surgical treatment of lumbar tuberculosis via a posterior-only approach in adults].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the clinical effects, indications and key techniques of debridement, internal fixation, and reconstruction with titanium mesh in lumbar tuberculosis via a posterior-only approach in adults. METHODS: The clinical data of 26 patients with monosegment lumbar tuberculosis treated with surgery from March 2012 to March 2014 was retrospectively analyzed. Among them, 15 cases were male and 11 cases were female, and patients' age ranged from 21 to 68 years old (average, 44.7 years old). All patients suffered from back pain and/or pain with radiation to the legs. The clinical efficacy was evaluated based on the complications, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), imaging examination, and back and leg pain score of visual analogue scale (VAS). RESULTS: All operations were successful in 26 patients with an average operation time of (2.4±0.8) h (range from 2 to 4 h), with an average blood loss of (320±86) ml(range from 200 to 700 ml) .VAS was decreased from (5.7±1.4) points preoperatively to (1.6±0.5) points 2 weeks postoperatively (P<0.01); and ESR was decreased from (42.8±10.4)mm/h preoperatively to (12.1±5.6)mm/h 3 months after surgery (P<0.01). All the patients were followed up for 24 to 48 months with an average of(28.3±5.8) months. One patients suffered from the recurrence of TB and sinus tract formation at 2 months after surgery, and was cured by stronger anti-tuberculosis drugs, local debridement with drainage, and sinus tract healed at 3 months after operation. All intervertebral bone graft obtained fusion within 1 year after operation and no local recurrence of TB was found at final follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: Debridement, internal fixation, and reconstruction with titanium mesh via a posterior-only approach is a effective and safe method for the treatment of monosegment lumbar tuberculosis, especially for the patients with secondary spinal stenosis.

Liraglutide attenuates the osteoblastic differentiation of MC3T3­E1 cells by modulating AMPK/mTOR signaling.

Liraglutide, a synthetic analogue of glucagon-like peptide­1, is utilized in the treatment of type 2 diabetes and obesity. Liraglutide has been previously demonstrated to prevent osteoblastic differentiation of human vascular smooth muscle cells, resulting in the slowing of arterial calcification, however, its effect on bone formation remains unclear. The present study investigated the effect of liraglutide on osteoblastic differentiation using Alizarin Red S staining, and examined the molecular mechanisms underlying the regulatory effect by western blot analysis. The present study demonstrated that protein expression levels of phosphorylated adenosine monophosphate­activated protein kinase (p­AMPK) were downregulated in MC3T3­E1 cells during osteoblastic differentiation in commercial osteogenic differentiation medium, whereas protein expression levels of transforming growth factor­ß (TGF­ß) and phosphorylated mammalian target of rapamycin (p­mTOR) increased. Liraglutide was subsequently demonstrated to dose­dependently attenuate the osteoblastic differentiation of MC3T3­E1 cells, to upregulate p­AMPK, and downregulate p­mTOR and TGF­ß protein expression levels. Treatment with an AMPK­specific inhibitor, Compound C, eradicated the effect of liraglutide on osteoblastic differentiation, and p­mTOR and TGF­ß downregulation. An mTOR activator, MHY1485, also abolished the inhibitory effect of liraglutide on osteoblastic differentiation, and resulted in p­mTOR and TGF­ß downregulation, but did not attenuate the liraglutide­induced increase in p­AMPK protein expression levels. The results of the present study demonstrate that liraglutide attenuates osteoblastic differentiation of MC3T3­E1 cells via modulation of AMPK/mTOR signaling. The present study revealed a novel function of liraglutide, which contributes to the understanding of its pharmacological and physiological effects in clinical settings.