BACKGROUND:Radiotherapy alone is not suitable for tumor-caused vertebral fractures and neurological dysfunction. In recent years, 125I radiation particles have been widely used in a variety of primary or secondary tumors and achieved good results. Percutaneous kyphoplasty can restore vertebral height efficiently, remodel spinal stability, and relieve pain.
OBJECTIVE:To evaluate safety and effectiveness of percutaneous kyphoplasty combined with 125I in patients with metastatic spinal tumors.
METHODS:A retrospective study was conducted to review 30 cases of metastatic spinal tumors undergoing percutaneous kyphoplasty combined with 125I from March 2011 to July 2012. Symptoms, signs, and imaging findings were col ected and analyzed. Al the patients had a refractoriness back pain. CT scan showed osteolytic changes in the vertebrae. The visual analogue scales, WHO standards for pain relief and Owestry disability index were recorded to analyze the clinical symptoms outcome and recovery of neurological function, and the change of height in abnormal vertebrae was measured. The fol ow-up time was 1 day, 1 month and 6 months postoperatively. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Operations in al the 30 patients were done successful y. Al patients got a conspicuous pain relief in 24 hours after operation, and nospinal injury or compression was found. There were significant differences in scores of visual analogue scales, pain levels, Owestry disability index, and the height of vertebral bodies before and after operation (P<0.05). During postoperative fol ow-up of 1 and 6 months, scores of visual analogue scales, pain levels, Owestry disability index, and the height of vertebral bodies showed no difference from those at 24 hours postoperatively (P>0.05). Bone cement leakage occurred in the anterior longitudinal ligament (n=2) and intervertebral space (n=2), and no serious complications occurred. Percutaneous kyphoplasty combined with 125I is a safe and effective way to treat metastatic spinal tumors, which can quickly ease the pain caused by spinal tumor, recover the abnormal vertebral height, reduce complications and improve life quality of patients.

Objective To explore the compare of complete and incomplete radical debridement for thoracolumbar spinal tuberculosis.Methods Data of 296 patients with spinal tuberculosis from January 2000 to January 2011 were retrospectively analyzed.All patients were divided into two groups according to completeness of debridement:complete debridement group (group A) and incomplete debridement group (group B).There were 162 cases in group A including 86 males and 76 females,with an average age of 38.74± 17.26 years.There were 134 cases in group B including 73 males and 61 females,with an average age of 35.64± 18.21 years.All paticnts had undergone anterior debridement,focal graft implantation,anterior or posterior deformity correction,and internal fixation.Regular follow-up was required in the two groups.Results Residual sclerotic walls (36.54％),multipie cavities (34.62％),affected bony bridges (13.46％),sequestmm (3.37％),abscess (7.21％) and other lesionses (4.81％) were found in the group B.The first three factors were made up 84.62％ of the total.The mean follow-up time was 76.13±8.32 months in the group A and 79.24±5.49 months in the group B.The symptoms,C-reactive protein and erythrocyte sedimentation rate were improved more obviously in group A than those in group B.Six months after operation,tuberculosis healing rate in group A and group B was 29.01％ (47 patients) and 4.48％ (6 patients),respectively.The mean healing time was 4.36± 1.27 months in the group A and 9.15±2.53 months in the group B,with significant differences.The mean the time of chemotherapy was 5.21± 1.38 months in the group A and (10.45±2.15) months in the group B,with significant differences.Reoperation rate in group A and group B was 0.62％ (1/162) and 4.48％ (6/134),respectively.Conclusion Sclerotic bone,multiple cavities,and bony bridges are parts of foci in spinal tuberculosis.Clearing tuberculous foci with sclerotic bone,multiple cavities,and bony bridges can increase the curative effect,shorten the time of chemotherapy and reduce the side effects of drug,thus early resumption can be achieved.

BACKGROUND: Calcium sulfate/poly amino acid compound materials carrying triple anti-tuberculosis drugs have been proved to have excellent slow release performance based on our preliminary studies on the physical and chemical properties and the release properties of the compound materials.OBJECTIVE: To observe the slow release performance of the calcium sulfate/poly(amino acid) compound material carrying triple anti-tuberculosis drugs in a rabbit model of spinal tuberculosis.METHODS: Twenty-four New Zealand white rabbits were used to make L4-5 spinal tuberculosis models and divided into two groups in a random way following removal of tuberculosis lesions. Calcium sulfate/poly amino acid compound material carrying isoniazide, rifampicin, pyrazinamide or calcium sulfate/poly(amino acid)compound material with no drugs was implanted into the defect in the experimental or control group,respectively. At 2, 4, 6 and 8 weeks after implantation, the concentrations of isoniazid, rifampicin and pyrazinamide in the defect region, including the bone tissue, adjacent psoas major and inferior vena cava,were measured.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: In the experimental group, the isoniazid levels in the damaged bone tissue and psoas major were kept in minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) at 8 weeks after implantation and in the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) at the end of 12 weeks after implantation, while its level in the vein was kept in MBC at 2 weeks and in MIC at 8 weeks. The rifampicin levels in the bone tissue and psoas major were kept in MBC at 4 weeks after implantation and in the MIC at 8 weeks after implantation, while its level in the vein was kept MIC at 4 weeks.The pyrazinamide levels in the damaged bone tissue and psoas major were kept in MBC at 8 weeks after implantation and in the MIC until 8 weeks after implantation, while its level in the vein was kept MIC at 8 weeks. In the control group,there were no levels of isoniazid, rifampicin and pyrazinamide in the damaged bone tissue, adjacent psoas major and inferior vena cava in comparison with the baseline. These results show that isoniazid, rifampicin and pyrazinamide in the defect region can achieve sustained slow release in the rabbit model of spinal tuberculosis after implantation of the calcium sulfate/poly(amino acid) compound material carrying triple anti-tuberculosis drugs. In addition, the local drug concentration and duration in the defect region are better than those in the blood.

Objective To discuss the clinical efficacy of surgical treatment of pathologic vertebral surgery for thoracic and lumbar tuberculosis. Methods All of 322 cases of thoracic and lumbar spinal tuberculosis patients from December 2003 to June 2014 were retrospectively analyzed in our department. All patients were underwent debridement, fusion and nerve decompres?sion surgery. According to different fixed methods, patients were divided into pathologic vertebral surgery group (fixation complet?ed within lesions invaded motion unit) including 91 males and 100 females, with an average age of 41.53 years, and non?pathologic vertebral surgery group (long segments or short segment fixation) including 61 males and 70 females, with an average age of 42.72 years. We observed the tuberculosis cure rate, degrees of deformity, pain and neurological recovery, operative time, blood loss and complications by follow?up. Results The average follow?up time was 75.52 months in pathologic vertebral surgery group and 76.21 months in non?pathologic vertebral surgery group. The total number of pathologic vertebras in pathologic vertebral surgery group and non?pathologic vertebral surgery group were 277 and 218 respectively, and the average was 1.45 and 1.66. The total number of fixed segments was 277 in pathologic vertebral surgery group and 485 in non?pathologic vertebral surgery group, and the average fixed segments was 1.45 and 3.70. The cure rate was 85.86%in pathologic vertebral surgery group and 85.49%in non?pathologic vertebral surgery group at 6 months postoperatively, and 98.95%and 98.47%at the last follow?up time, with no signifi?cant difference between groups. Graft fusion rate was 89.00%in pathologic vertebral surgery group and 89.31%in non?pathologic vertebral surgery group 6 months postoperatively, 98.38%and 98.47%at the last follow?up time, without significant difference. In lumbar spine, the average correction of Cobb's angle was 12.4° in pathologic vertebral surgery group and 13.1° in non?pathologic vertebral surgery group, and the average angle loss was 1.3 and 1.4°, with no significant difference. In thoracolumbar, the average correction of Cobb’s angle was 10.9°in pathologic vertebral surgery group and 11.1°in non?pathologic vertebral surgery group, and the average angle loss was 1.7°and 1.5° respectively, without significant difference. However, in thoracic, the average correction of Cobb's angle was 10.2° in pathologic vertebral surgery group and 12.7° in non?pathologic vertebral surgery group, and the average angle loss was 3.6° and 2.5°respectively, with significant difference. The mean operation time was 210.45 min in pathologic verte?bral surgery group and 210.45 min in non?pathologic vertebral surgery group, with significant difference. The average blood loss was 726.12 ml in pathologic vertebral surgery group and 726.12 ml in non?pathologic vertebral surgery group, with significant dif?ference. The complication rate was 11.51%in pathologic vertebral surgery group and 11.45%in non?pathologic vertebral surgery group, with no significant difference. Conclusion Pathologic vertebral surgery surgery is a safe, effective and feasible method of operation for treatment of thoracic and lumbar tuberculosis, which can effectively preserve adjacent normal vertebral motion unit features. The thoracic surgery was less satisfactory than the lumbar and thoracolumbar surgery.