Global trends and frontiers of research on Kümmell's disease: A bibliometric analysis.

The prevalence of Kümmell's disease (KD) has been increasing due to the aging population and the rise of osteoporotic vertebral compressibility fractures. As a result, there has been a growing concern about this condition. Despite the rapid advancements in its related research fields, the current research status and hotspot analysis of KD remain unclear. Therefore, our goal was to identify and analyze the global research trends on KD using bibliometric tools. All KD data were obtained from the Web of Science Core Collection. The information of research field was collected, including title, author, institutions, journals, countries, references, total citations, and years of publication for further analysis. From 1900 to 2022, a total of 195 articles and 1973 references have been published in this field, originating from 27 countries/regions and 90 journals, with China leading the contributions. The most significant institutional and author contributions come from Soochow University and Kim, HS, respectively. The journal with the highest number of published research and total citation frequency is Spine. The latest research focuses in this field include "risk factor," "osteoporotic vertebral compression fracture," "pedicle screw fixation," "percutaneous vertebroplasty," and "bone cement," and should be closely monitored. Additionally, we have conducted a comprehensive analysis of the 50 most-cited articles in KD, providing a valuable list of articles to guide clinical decision-making and future research for clinicians and researchers. In recent years, there has been a significant increase in scientific research on KD. Future research in KD is likely to focus on surgical treatment, risk factors, and complications.

Risk factors for vertebral fracture in rheumatoid arthritis patients using biological disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (cases over 5 years): An observational study.

While biological disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (bDMARDs) are considered beneficial for preventing osteoporosis and bone fracture, it is unclear whether bone loss is involved in the development of vertebral fracture, and few reports have examined the factors related to vertebral fracture in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients using bDMARDs. This study aims to identify factors influencing vertebral fracture in RA patients treated with bDMARDs. We retrospectively examined the records of 129 RA patients treated with bDMARDs for over 5 years. The lumbar spine and femoral bone mineral density, Disease Activity Score-28-C-Reactive Protein (DAS28-CRP) value, Simplified Disease Activity Index (SDAI), and modified Health Assessment Questionnaire (mHAQ) score were evaluated. The frequency of new vertebral fracture during the study and their risk factors were investigated. A comparison between the fracture group and the nonfracture group was performed. Multivariate analysis was performed using logistic regression analysis to detect risk factors for new vertebral fracture. The number of patients with new vertebral fracture during follow-up was 15 (11.6%) of the 129 patients in the study. Age and mHAQ score were significantly higher and lumbar spine and femoral neck bone mineral density were significantly lower in the fracture group than the nonfracture group. The risk factors for new vertebral fracture during the disease course were older age and higher mHAQ score indicating no remission over the 5 years of follow-up. In this study, there was no significant difference in disease indices such as the DAS28-CRP value and the SDAI between the fracture and nonfracture groups, suggesting an effective control of RA with bDMARDs. However, age and the mHAQ score, an index of RA dysfunction, were significantly higher in the fracture group. These results suggest that improving functional impairment may be important to prevent vertebral fracture in patients using bDMARDs.

Successful Management by Posterior Approach Only of a Highly Comminuted L4 Fracture with 8 years of Follow-up: A Case Report.

CASE: A 28-year old male patient was involved in a RTA and sustained a highly comminuted L4 burst fracture with more than 90% canal compromise.Considering the complete loss of power in the respective myotomes but the preservation of sacral sparing there were controversially different surgical options. We successfully performed a posterior only surgical procedure, which applied a modified transpedicle access technique to decompress the spinal canal and to restore the anterior column, achieving full neurological recovery at the final follow-up. CONCLUSION: A well-planned and executed posterior surgery alone can achieve excellent clinical and radiological result in the treatment of severely comminuted lumbar fractures.

A Computed Tomography-Based Fracture Prediction Model With Images of Vertebral Bones and Muscles by Employing Deep Learning: Development and Validation Study.

BACKGROUND: With the progressive increase in aging populations, the use of opportunistic computed tomography (CT) scanning is increasing, which could be a valuable method for acquiring information on both muscles and bones of aging populations. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to develop and externally validate opportunistic CT-based fracture prediction models by using images of vertebral bones and paravertebral muscles. METHODS: The models were developed based on a retrospective longitudinal cohort study of 1214 patients with abdominal CT images between 2010 and 2019. The models were externally validated in 495 patients. The primary outcome of this study was defined as the predictive accuracy for identifying vertebral fracture events within a 5-year follow-up. The image models were developed using an attention convolutional neural network-recurrent neural network model from images of the vertebral bone and paravertebral muscles. RESULTS: The mean ages of the patients in the development and validation sets were 73 years and 68 years, and 69.1% (839/1214) and 78.8% (390/495) of them were females, respectively. The areas under the receiver operator curve (AUROCs) for predicting vertebral fractures were superior in images of the vertebral bone and paravertebral muscles than those in the bone-only images in the external validation cohort (0.827, 95% CI 0.821-0.833 vs 0.815, 95% CI 0.806-0.824, respectively; P<.001). The AUROCs of these image models were higher than those of the fracture risk assessment models (0.810 for major osteoporotic risk, 0.780 for hip fracture risk). For the clinical model using age, sex, BMI, use of steroids, smoking, possible secondary osteoporosis, type 2 diabetes mellitus, HIV, hepatitis C, and renal failure, the AUROC value in the external validation cohort was 0.749 (95% CI 0.736-0.762), which was lower than that of the image model using vertebral bones and muscles (P<.001). CONCLUSIONS: The model using the images of the vertebral bone and paravertebral muscle showed better performance than that using the images of the bone-only or clinical variables. Opportunistic CT screening may contribute to identifying patients with a high fracture risk in the future.

Osteoporosis, spinal degenerative disorders, and their association with low back pain, activities of daily living, and physical performance in a general population.

Osteoporosis, vertebral fractures, and spinal degenerative diseases are common conditions that often coexist in older adults. This study aimed to determine the factors influencing low back pain and its impact on activities of daily living (ADL) and physical performance in older individuals with multiple comorbidities. This cross-sectional study was part of a large-scale population-based cohort study in Japan, involving 1009 participants who underwent spinal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to assess cervical cord compression, radiographic lumbar spinal stenosis, and lumbar disc degeneration. Vertebral fractures in the thoracolumbar spine were evaluated using sagittal MRI with a semi-quantitative method. Bone mineral density was measured using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Low back pain, Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), and physical performance tests, such as one-leg standing time, five times chair-stand time, maximum walking speed, and maximum step length, were assessed. Using clinical conditions as objective variables and image evaluation parameters as explanatory variables, multiple regression analysis showed that vertebral fractures were significantly associated with low back pain and ODI. Vertebral fractures and osteoporosis significantly impacted physical performance, whereas osteoporosis alone did not affect low back pain or ODI. Our findings contribute to new insights into low back pain and its impact on ADL and physical performance.

Deep learning application of vertebral compression fracture detection using mask R-CNN.

Vertebral compression fractures (VCFs) of the thoracolumbar spine are commonly caused by osteoporosis or result from traumatic events. Early diagnosis of vertebral compression fractures can prevent further damage to patients. When assessing these fractures, plain radiographs are used as the primary diagnostic modality. In this study, we developed a deep learning based fracture detection model that could be used as a tool for primary care in the orthopedic department. We constructed a VCF dataset using 487 lateral radiographs, which included 598 fractures in the L1-T11 vertebra. For detecting VCFs, Mask R-CNN model was trained and optimized, and was compared to three other popular models on instance segmentation, Cascade Mask R-CNN, YOLOACT, and YOLOv5. With Mask R-CNN we achieved highest mean average precision score of 0.58, and were able to locate each fracture pixel-wise. In addition, the model showed high overall sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy, indicating that it detected fractures accurately and without misdiagnosis. Our model can be a potential tool for detecting VCFs from a simple radiograph and assisting doctors in making appropriate decisions in initial diagnosis.

Midregional Proatrial Natriuretic Peptide (MRproANP) is associated with vertebral fractures and low bone density in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

BACKGROUND: Patients with COPD are often affected by loss of bone mineral density (BMD) and osteoporotic fractures. Natriuretic peptides (NP) are known as cardiac markers, but have also been linked to fragility-associated fractures in the elderly. As their functions include regulation of fluid and mineral balance, they also might affect bone metabolism, particularly in systemic disorders such as COPD. RESEARCH QUESTION: We investigated the association between NP serum levels, vertebral fractures and BMD assessed by chest computed tomography (CT) in patients with COPD. METHODS: Participants of the COSYCONET cohort with CT scans were included. Mean vertebral bone density on CT (BMD-CT) as a risk factor for osteoporosis was assessed at the level of TH12 (AI-Rad Companion), and vertebral compression fractures were visually quantified by two readers. Their relationship with N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP), Mid-regional pro-atrial natriuretic peptide (MRproANP) and Midregional pro-adrenomedullin (MRproADM) was determined using group comparisons and multivariable analyses. RESULTS: Among 418 participants (58% male, median age 64 years, FEV1 59.6% predicted), vertebral fractures in TH12 were found in 76 patients (18.1%). Compared to patients without fractures, these had elevated serum levels (p ≤ 0.005) of MRproANP and MRproADM. Using optimal cut-off values in multiple logistic regression analyses, MRproANP levels ≥ 65 nmol/l (OR 2.34; p = 0.011) and age (p = 0.009) were the only significant predictors of fractures after adjustment for sex, BMI, smoking status, FEV1% predicted, SGRQ Activity score, daily physical activity, oral corticosteroids, the diagnosis of cardiac disease, and renal impairment. Correspondingly, MRproANP (p < 0.001), age (p = 0.055), SGRQ Activity score (p = 0.061) and active smoking (p = 0.025) were associated with TH12 vertebral density. INTERPRETATION: MRproANP was a marker for osteoporotic vertebral fractures in our COPD patients from the COSYCONET cohort. Its association with reduced vertebral BMD on CT and its known modulating effects on fluid and ion balance are suggestive of direct effects on bone mineralization. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01245933, Date of registration: 18 November 2010.

Thoracolumbar fracture and spinal cord injury in blunt trauma: a systematic review, meta-analysis, and meta-regression.

Thoracolumbar (TL) fractures are among the most common vertebral fractures. These patients have high morbidity and mortality due to injury mechanisms and associated injuries. Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a prevalent complication of spinal fractures of the thoracolumbar region. AIM: To determine the pooled rate of thoracolumbar fractures and SCI in blunt trauma patients. METHODS: A systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies were performed. The search was conducted in the PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Embase databases. The authors screened and selected studies based on predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria. Studies were then evaluated for risk of bias using the JBI checklist. The pooled event rate and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated using random effects models. Subgroup and meta-regression analyses were performed to explore sources of heterogeneity. RESULTS: Twenty-one studies fulfilled the selection criteria. The pooled rate of TL fractures was 8.08% (CI = 6.18-10.50%), with high heterogeneity (I2 = 99.98%, P < 0.001). Thoracic and lumbar fractures accounted for 45.23% and 59.01% of the TL fractures, respectively. Meta-regression revealed that the midpoint of the study period was a significant moderator. The pooled event rate of SCI among TL fracture patients was 15.81% (CI = 11.11 to 22.01%) with high heterogeneity (I2 = 98.31%, P < 0.001). The country of study was identified as a source of heterogeneity through subgroup analysis, and studies from the United States reported higher rates of SCI. Meta-regression revealed that the critical appraisal score was negatively associated with event rate. CONCLUSION: Our study evaluated the rate of TL fractures in multiple countries at different time points. We observed an increase in the rate of TL fractures over time. SCI results also seemed to vary based on the country of the original study.

Lower psoas mass indicates worse prognosis in percutaneous vertebroplasty-treated osteoporotic vertebral compression fracture.

The correlation between lower psoas mass and the prognosis of osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures (OVCF) is still unclear. This study aims to investigate the impact of lower psoas mass on the prognosis of patients undergoing percutaneous vertebroplasty (PVP). One hundred and sixty-three elderly patients who underwent single-segment PVP from January 2018 to December 2021 were included. The psoas to L4 vertebral index (PLVI) via MRI were measured to assess psoas mass. Patients were divided into high PLVI (> 0.79) and low PLVI (≤ 0.79) groups based on the median PLVI in the cohort. The basic information (age, gender, body mass index (BMI) and bone mineral density (BMD)), surgical intervention-related elements (duration of operation, latency to ambulation, period of hospital stay, and surgical site), postoperative clinical outcomes (Visual Analog Scale (VAS) scores, Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) scores, Japanese Orthopaedic Association (JOA) scores), and incidence of secondary fractures) were compared. Patients showed no statistically significant differences in terms of age, gender, surgical sute, BMI, BMD and preoperative VAS, ODI, JOA scores (P > 0.05) between the two groups. However, there were significant differences in terms of latency to ambulation, period of hospital stay (P < 0.05). VAS, ODI, and JOA scores at 1, 6, and 12 months after surgery showed that the high PLVI group had significantly better outcomes than the low PLVI group (P < 0.05). Additionally, the low PLVI group had a significantly higher incidence of recurrent fracture (P < 0.05). Lower psoas mass can reduce the clinical effect of PVP in patients with osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures, and is a risk factor for recurrent vertebral fracture.

Evaluation and Management of Thoracolumbar Spine Trauma in Pediatric Patients: A Critical Analysis Review.

¼ Pediatric thoracolumbar trauma, though rare, is an important cause of morbidity and mortality and necessitates early, accurate diagnosis and management.¼ Obtaining a detailed history and physical examination in the pediatric population can be difficult. Therefore, the threshold for advanced imaging, such as magnetic resonance imaging, is low and should be performed in patients with head injuries, altered mental status, inability to cooperate with examination, and fractures involving more than 1 column of the spine.¼ The classification of pediatric thoracolumbar trauma is based primarily on adult studies and there is little high-level evidence examining validity and accuracy in pediatric populations.¼ Injury pattern and neurologic status of the patient are the most important factors when determining whether to proceed with operative management.

[Effects of tramadol hydrochloride preemptive analgesia in kyphoplasty of thoracolumbar osteoporotic fractures under local anesthesia].

OBJECTIVE: To explore preemptive analgesic effect of preoperative intramural tramadol injection in percutaneous kyphoplasty (PKP) of vertebrae following local anesthesia. METHODS: From August 2019 to June 2021, 118 patients with thoraco lumbar osteoporotic fractures were treated and divided into observation group and control group, with 59 patients in each gruop. In observation group, there were 26 males and 33 females, aged from 57 to 80 years old with an average of (67.69±4.75)years old;14 patients on T11, 12 patients on T12, 18 patients on L1, 15 patients on L2;tramadol with 100 mg was injected intramuscularly half an hour before surgery in observation group. In control group, there were 24 males and 35 females, aged from 55 to 77 years old with an average of (68.00±4.43) years old;19 patients on T11, 11 patients on T12, 17patients on L1, 12 patients on L2;the same amount of normal saline was injected intramuscularly in control group. Observation indicators included operation time, intraoperative bleeding, visual analogue scale (VAS) evaluation and recording of preoperative (T0), intraoperative puncture(T1), and working cannula placement (T2) between two groups of patients, at the time of balloon dilation (T3), when the bone cement was injected into the vertebral body (T4), 2 hours after the operation (T5), and the pain degree at the time of discharge(T6);adverse reactions such as dizziness, nausea and vomiting were observed and recorded;the record the patient's acceptance of repeat PKP surgery. RESULTS: All patients were successfully completed PKP via bilateral pedicle approach, and no intravenous sedative and analgesic drugs were used during the operation. There was no significant difference in preoperative general data and VAS(T0) between two groups (P>0.05). There was no significant difference in operation time and intraoperative blood loss between the two groups (P>0.05). VAS of T1, T2, T3, T4 and T5 in observation group were all lower than those in control group(P<0.05), and there was no significant difference in T6 VAS (P>0.05). T6 VAS between two groups were significantly lower than those of T0, and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05). There was no significant difference in incidence of total adverse reactions between two groups (P>0.05). There was a statistically significant difference in the acceptance of repeat PKP surgery (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Half an hour before operation, intramuscular injection of tramadol has a clear preemptive analgesic effect for PKP of single-segment thoracolumbar osteoporotic fracture vertebral body under local anesthesia, which could increase the comfort of patients during operation and 2 hours after operation, and improve patients satisfaction with surgery.

[Correlation between serum HDL/LDL and t-PINP /ß-CTX and osteoporotic vertebral fractures in elderly women].

OBJECTIVE: To explore high density lipoprotein (HDL)/low density lipoprotein (LDL) and total typeⅠcollagen amino terminal extender peptide (t-PINP)/ C-terminal peptide of typeⅠcollagen ß special sequence(ß-CTX)and risk of osteoporosis vertebral fractures (OPVFs) in elderly women. METHODS: The clinical data of 446 female OPVFs patients aged above 60 years old from January 2019 to December 2020 were retrospectively analyzed. According to whether or not fracture, patients were divided into non-fracture group (186 patients) and fracture group(260 patients). Univariate analysis was performed to analysis age, body mass index(BMI), N-terminal mioldle molecular fragment of osteocalcin, N-MID OC), t-PINP, ß-CTX, 25-hydroxyvitamin D[25-(OH) VitD], blood sugar (Glu), total cholesterol(TC), high-density lipoprotein (HDL), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), Ca, P, Mg, urea (UREA), creatinine (Cr) and Cystatin C(CysC), and correlation between OPVFs and the above indexes and lipid, bone metabolism indexes between two groups;Logistic regression was performed to analyze risk factors and stratification relationship between vertebral fracture and HDL/LDL, t-PINP/ß-CTX. Logistic regression was used to analyze risk factors and stratification relationship between OPVFs and HDL/LDL, t-PINP/ß-CTX. RESULTS: There were no significant difference in age and BMI between non-fracture group and fracture group (P>0.05). Compared with non-fracture group, contents of HDL, t-PINP/ß-CTX and HDL/LDL in fracture group were decreased, and contents of ß-CTX were increased (P<0.05). OPVFs was positively correlated with ß-CTX (r=0.110, P<0.05), and negatively correlated with HDL, HDL/LDL and t-PINP/ß-CTX (r=-0.157, -0.175, -0.181, P<0.05). HDL and HDL/LDL were negatively correlated with ß-CTX (r=-0.22, -0.12, P<0.05) and t-PINP (r=-0.13, -0.10, P<0.05). 25-(OH) VitD was positively correlated with TC and HDL (r=0.11, 0.18, P<0.05). HDL/LDL was positively correlated with t-PINP/ß-CTX(r=0.11, P=0.02). t-PINP/ß-CTX[OR=0.998, 95%CI(0.997, 1.000), P<0.05], HDL/LDL[OR=0.228, 95%CI(0.104, 0.499), P<0.01] were risk factors for vertebral fracture. The lower levels between two tristratified indicators, the higher the vertebral fracture rate. The risk of fracture was 2.5 and 2 times higher in the lowest stratum than in the highest stratum, with an adjusted OR was[2.112, 95%CI(1.310, 3.404)] and [2.331, 95%CI(1.453, 3.739)], respectively. CONCLUSION: Serum low HDL/LDL and t-PINP /ß-CTX are independent risk factors for OPVF in elderly women, and have good predictive value for OPVF risk.

[A controlled clinical study of vertebroplasty for the treatment of osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures after self-made spinal positioner and manual reduction].

OBJECTIVE: To explore clinical effect of manipulation reduction combined with vertebral plasty on osteoporotic compression fractures (OVCFs). METHODS: Totally 61 patients with OVCFs treated from January 2022 to March 2024 were randomly divided into self-made spinal locator positioning with manipulation reduction group (treatment group) and traditional Kirchner positioning group (control group). There were 30 patients in treatment group, including 4 males and 26 females, aged from 61 to 87 years old with an average of (73.61±7.17) years old;body mass index (BMI) ranged from 15.24 to 28.89 kg·m-2 with an average of (23.90±3.20) kg·m-2;bone mineral density T value ranged from -4.90 to -2.50 SD with an avergae of (-3.43±0.75) SD;fracture to operation time was 6.50 (4.00, 10.25) d;10 patients were gradeⅠ, 13 patients were gradeⅡ, and 7 patients were grade Ⅲ according to Genant classification of fracture compression. There were 31 patients in control group, including 7 males and 24 females, aged from 61 to 89 years old with an average of (73.63±8.77) years old;BMI ranged from 18.43 to 27.06 kg·m-2 with an average of (23.67±2.35) kg·m-2;bone mineral density T value ranged from -4.60 to -2.50 SD with an avergae of (-3.30±0.68) SD;fracture to operation time was 6.00 (3.00, 8.00) d;11 patients were gradeⅠ, 9 patients were gradeⅡ, and 11 patients were grade Ⅲ according to Genant classification of fracture compression. The puncture times, X-ray fluoroscopy times and puncture time between two groups were observed and compared. Visual analogue scale (VAS), Japanese Orthopaedic Association (JOA) and timed up and go test (TUGT) were observed and compared before operation, 3 d and 1 month after operation. RESULTS: All patients were followed up for 1 to 3 months with an average of (2.10±0.80) months. Puncture times, X-ray fluorosecopy times and puncture time in treatment group were 5.00(4.00, 6.00) times, (29.53±5.89) times and 14.83(12.42, 21.20) min, respectively, while those in control group were 7.00(6.00, 8.00) times, (34.58±5.33) times, 22.19(17.33, 27.01) min, treatment group was better than those of control group (P<0.05). There were no significant differences in preoperative VAS, JOA and TUGT between two groups(P>0.05). VAS, JOA and TUGT in both groups were significantly improved after opeation(P<0.05). On the third day after operation, JOA score of treatment group was 23.00 (20.75, 25.00), which was higher than that of control group 20.00(19.00, 23.00)(P<0.05). TUGT of treatment group was 6.26(5.86, 6.57) s, which was better than that of control group 6.90(6.80, 7.14) s (P<0.05). Bone cement leakage occurred with 1 patient in treatment group and 2 patients in control group. CONCLUSION: The optimal scheme of self-made spinal locators for locating descending verteboplasty combined with traditional Chinese medicine reduction manipulation for OVCF patients could reduce the number of intraoperative puncture times, shorten puncture times and reduce number of X-ray fluoroscopy times, and have advantages over the simple positioning of Kirschn's needle in restoring short-term lumbar function and standing and walking ability of postoperative patients.

[Comparsion of bone setting technique combined with percutaneous vertebroplasty and percutaneous kyphoplasty for the treatment of osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures].

OBJECTIVE: To explore clinical efficacy of osteoplasty combined with percutaneous vertebroplasty(PVP) and percutaneous kyphoplasty (PKP) alone in treating osteoporosis vertebral compression fractures (OVCFs). METHODS: The clinical data of 80 patients with single-level OVCFs treated from January 2021 to June 2022 were retrospectively analyzed, and were divided into treatment group and control group according to different surgical methods, 40 patients in each group. In treatment group, there were 24 males and 16 females, aged from 60 to 83 years old with an average of (70.43±7.31) years old;bone mineral density ranged from -3.30 to -2.50 SD with an average of(-2.84±0.24) SD;1 patient with T10, 4 patients with T11, 11 patients with T12, 7 patients with L1, 7 patients with L2, 5 patients with L3, 3 patients with L4, 2 patients with L5;bone setting technique combined with PVP were performed. In control group, there were 27 males and 13 females, aged from 60 to 82 years old with an average of (68.98±6.94) years old;bone mineral density ranged from -3.40 to -2.50 SD with an average of (-2.76±0.23) SD;2 patients with T10, 3 patients with T11, 13 patients with T12, 11 patients with L1, 5 patients with L2, 3 patients with L3, 2 patients with L4, 1 patient with L5;simple PKP were peformed. Visual analogue scale (VAS) and lumbar Oswestry disability index (ODI) were compared between two groups before operation, 3 days, 3 and 12 months after operation. The changes of local kyphotic angle, vertebral wedge angle and vertebral anterior margin height ratio were compared between two groups before operation, 3 days and 12 months after operation. RESULTS: All patients were successfully completed operation. Treatment group were followed up from 13 to 22 months with an average of (16.82±2.14) months, and control group were followed up from 13 to 23 months with an average of (16.45±2.56) months. Three patients were occurred bone cement leakage in treatment group, while 1 patient were occurred bone cement leakage and 1 patient occurred sensory disturbance of lower limb skin in control group;there were no significant difference in complications between two groups (P>0.05). There were no significant difference in preoperative VAS and ODI between two groups (P>0.05). At 3 days after operation, VAS of treatment group 3.68±0.62 was significantly higher than that of control group 4.00±0.72 (P<0.05). There were no significant difference in VAS and ODI between two groups at 3 and 12 months after operation (P>0.05). There were no significant difference in local kyphotic angle, vertebral wedge angle and vertebral anterior margin height between two groups at 3 days and 12 months after operation (P>0.05). CONCLUSION: Compared with PKP, bone setting manipulation combined with PVP for the treatment of OVCFs has advantages in early postoperative pain relief. In terms of vertebral height recovery, bone setting manipulation combined with PVP and PKP alone have similar clinical effects.

[A nomogram for predicting residual back pain after percutaneous vertebroplasty for osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures].

OBJECTIVE: To construct percutaneous vertebroplasty for predicting osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures (OVCFs) nomogram of residual back pain (RBP) after percutaneous vertebroplasty(PVP). METHODS: Clinical data of 245 OVCFs patients who were performed PVP from January 2020 to December 2022 were retrospectively analyzed, including 47 males and 198 females, aged from 65 to 77 years old with an average of (71.47±9.03) years old, and were divided into RBP group and non-RBP group according to whether RBP occurred. Gender, age, comorbidities, fracture stage, body mass index (BMI), bone mineral density (BMD), visual analogue scale (VAS), Oswestry disability index (ODI) and other general information were collected; anterior vertebral height (AVH), anterior vertebral height ratio (AVH), anterior vertebral height ratio(AVHR), Cobb angle, intravertebral vacuum cleft (IVC), thoracolumbar fascia (TLF) injury, paravertebral muscle steatosis, injection volume and leakage of bone cement, bone cement dispersion pattern, anterior vertebral height recovery ratio (AVHRR), Cobb angle changes, etc. imaging parameters before operation and 24 h after operation were collected. Univariate analysis was performed to analysis above factors, and multivariate Logistic regression model was used to investigate independent risk factors for postoperative RBP, and Nomogram model was constructed and verified;receiver operating characteristic(ROC) curve and calibration curve were used to determine predictive performance and accuracy of the model, and Hosmer-Lemeshow (H-L) test was used for evaluation. The area under curve (AUC) of ROC was calculated, and Harrell consistency index (C index) was used to evaluate the predictive efficiency of model;decision curve analysis (DCA) was used to evaluate clinical practicability of model. RESULTS: There were 34 patients in RBP group and 211 patients in non-RBP group. There were no significant differences in gender, age, comorbidities, fracture stage, BMI, BMD, VAS, ODI, AVH, AVHR and Cobb angle between two groups (P>0.05). Univariate analysis showed 6 patients occurred IVC in RBP group and 13 patients in non-RBP, the number of IVC in RBP group was higher than that in non-RBP group (χ2=5.400, P=0.020);6 patients occuured TLF injury in RBP group and 11 patients in non-RBP group, the number of TLF injury in RBP group was higher than that in non-RBP group (χ2=7.011, P=0.008);In RBP group, 18 patients with grade 3 to 4 paraptebral steatosis and 41 patients in non-RBP group, RBP group was higher than non-RBP group (χ2=21.618, P<0.001), and the proportion of bone cement mass in RBP group was higher than non-RBP group (χ2=6.836, P=0.009). Multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed IVC (χ2=4.974, P=0.025), TLF injury (χ2=5.231, P=0.023), Goutallier grade of paravertebral steatosis >2 (χ2=15.124, P<0.001) and proportion of bone cement (χ2=4.168, P=0.038) were independent risk factors for RBP after PVP. ROC curve of model showed AUC of original model was 0.816[OR=2.862, 95%CI (0.776, 0.894), P<0.001]. The internal verification of model through 200 bootstrap samples showed the value of C index was 0.936, and calibration curve showed predicted probability curve was close to actual probability curve. H-L goodness of fit test results were χ2=5.796, P=0.670. DCA analysis results showed the decision curve was above None line and All line when the threshold value ranged from 6% to 71%. CONCLUSION: IVC, TLF combined injury, paravertebral muscle steatosis with Goutallier grade> 2, and bone cement diffusion with mass type are independent risk factors for RBP after PVP. The risk prediction model for RBP after PVP established has good predictive performance and good clinical practicability.

Surgical outcomes of robotic-assisted percutaneous fixation for thoracolumbar fractures in patients with ankylosing spondylitis.

BACKGROUND: Spinal fractures in patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) mainly present as instability, involving all three columns of the spine, and surgical intervention is often considered necessary. However, in AS patients, the significant alterations in bony structure and anatomy result in a lack of identifiable landmarks, which increases the difficulty of pedicle screw implantation. Therefore, we present the clinical outcomes of robotic-assisted percutaneous fixation for thoracolumbar fractures in patients with AS. METHODS: A retrospective review was conducted on a series of 12 patients diagnosed with AS. All patients sustained thoracolumbar fractures between October 2018 and October 2022 and underwent posterior robotic-assisted percutaneous fixation procedures. Outcomes of interest included operative time, intra-operative blood loss, complications, duration of hospital stay and fracture union. The clinical outcomes were assessed using the visual analogue scale (VAS) and Oswestry Disability Index (ODI). To investigate the achieved operative correction, pre- and postoperative radiographs in the lateral plane were analyzed by measuring the Cobb angle. RESULTS: The 12 patients had a mean age of 62.8 ± 13.0 years and a mean follow-up duration of 32.7 ± 18.9 months. Mean hospital stay duration was 15 ± 8.0 days. The mean operative time was 119.6 ± 32.2 min, and the median blood loss was 50 (50, 250) ml. The VAS value improved from 6.8 ± 0.9 preoperatively to 1.3 ± 1.0 at the final follow-up (P < 0.05). The ODI value improved from 83.6 ± 6.1% preoperatively to 11.8 ± 6.6% at the latest follow-up (P < 0.05). The average Cobb angle changed from 15.2 ± 11.0 pre-operatively to 8.3 ± 7.1 at final follow-up (P < 0.05). Bone healing was consistently achieved, with an average healing time of 6 (5.3, 7.0) months. Of the 108 screws implanted, 2 (1.9%) were improperly positioned. One patient experienced delayed nerve injury after the operation, but the nerve function returned to normal upon discharge. CONCLUSION: Posterior robotic-assisted percutaneous internal fixation can be used as an ideal surgical treatment for thoracolumbar fractures in AS patients. However, while robot-assisted pedicle screw placement can enhance the accuracy of pedicle screw insertion, it should not be relied upon solely.

Case report: A complete lower cervical fracture dislocation without permanent neurological impairment.

BACKGROUND: Complete fractures and dislocations of the lower cervical spine are usually associated with severe spinal cord injury. However, a very small number of patients do not have severe spinal cord injury symptoms, patients with normal muscle strength or only partial nerve root symptoms, known as "lucky fracture dislocation". The diagnosis and treatment of such patients is very difficult. Recently, we successfully treated one such patient. CASE PRESENTATION: A 73-year-old male patient had multiple neck and body aches after trauma, but there was sensory movement in his limbs. However, preoperative cervical radiographs showed no significant abnormalities, and computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) confirmed complete fracture and dislocation of C7. Before operation, the halo frame was fixed traction, but the reduction was not successful. Finally, the fracture reduction and internal fixation were successfully performed by surgery. The postoperative pain of the patient was significantly relieved, and the sensory movement of the limbs was the same as before. Two years after surgery, the patient's left little finger and ulnar forearm shallow sensation recovered, and the right flexion muscle strength basically returned to normal. CONCLUSION: This case suggests that when patients with trauma are encountered in the clinic, they should be carefully examined, and the presence of cervical fracture and dislocation should not be ignored because of the absence of neurological symptoms or mild symptoms. In addition, positioning during handling and surgery should be particularly avoided to increase the risk of paralysis.