BACKGROUND:Numerous studies have demonstrated various therapeutic methods for cerebrospinal fluid leakage after spinal column surgery, including intraoperative and postoperative measures. Few studies addressed the therapeutic methods of cerebrospinal fluid leakage after cervical vertebra surgery using lumbar subarachnoid catheter drainage.
OBJECTIVE:To evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of sustainable drainage and lumbar subarachnoid catheter drainage for cervical postoperative cerebrospinal fluid leakage.
METHODS:923 patients underwent cervical spine surgery in the Department of Spinal Surgery, the First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University, China from June 2009 to October 2012. There were 24 cases of postoperative cerebrospinal fluid leakage with an incidence of cerebrospinal fluid leakage of 2.6%(24/923). The dural laceration that could not be repaired or be found induced cerebrospinal fluid leakage. Of them, 12 cases received lumbar subarachnoid catheter drainage (catheter group), and 12 cases received sustainable drainage (drainage group).
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Compared with the drainage group, the duration of cerebrospinal fluid leakage was significantly shorter in the catheter group (P<0.05). In the catheter group, one case affected cerebrospinal fluid infection. In the drainage group, two cases experienced cerebrospinal fluid cyst and one case suffered from cerebrospinal fluid infection. They were cured by symptomatic treatment. A total of 24 cases were fol owed up for 9-12 months. None of them affected cerebrospinal fluid leakage, cerebrospinal fluid infection or cerebrospinal fluid cyst. Results demonstrated that lumbar subarachnoid catheter drainage in the treatment of cervical postoperative cerebrospinal fluid leakage has a good effect.

BACKGROUND:Spinal tuberculosis seldom involves cervical vertebra. The application of anti-tuberculosis drug has slight effects on patients combined with nerve dysfunction and severe vertebral destruction, which results in unstable cervical vertebra. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate biocompatibility of graft and host after one-stage anterior debridement graft fusion and internal fixation in the repair of adult cervical tuberculosis. METHODS: A total of 14 patients who suffered from cervical tuberculosis were admitted into Department of Spinal Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital, Xinjiang Medical University between May 2010 and June 2012. They underwent Zephir anterior cervical plate for one-stage anterior debridement graft fusion and internal fixation. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Compared with pre-fixation, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, C-reactive protein and visual analog scale score were lower in final folow-up (P < 0.05), and Japanese Orthopaedic Association score increased (P < 0.05). Except that Frankel grade recovered to grade D from grade C in one case, Frankel grade did not alter in the remaining patients. Compared with pre-fixation, Cobb angle was apparently shortened in seven patients with kyphosis. Folowing internal fixation, bone trabecula was visible between the vertebral body and graft region after fixation. No displacement, bone resorption, nonunion or pseudoarthrosis occurred. Neck pain and limited function relieved or disappeared to different degrees after fixation. These findings suggest this method can effectively treat cervical tuberculosis. Moreover, the biocompatibility of the plate and host is good.

BACKGROUND:Telomerase reverse transcriptase plays an important role in telomerase activation, and lentiviral vectors carrying human telomerase reverse transcriptase that can inhibit astrocyte expression are rarely reported to have effects on spinal cord injury. OBJECTIVE:To transfect rat astrocytes with telomerase reverse transcriptase gene lentiviral vectors and to observe the effect of telomerase reverse transcriptase gene lentiviral vectors on apoptosis of astrocytes. METHODS: Astrocytes from rats were subject to primary culture and subculture, and then transfected with siRNA lentiviral vector carrying telomerase reverse transcriptase gene (siRNA transfection group), simple lentiviral vector (lentiviral vector group) and nothing (blank group), respectively. Then, the transfection efficiency and apoptosis in different time periods after transfection were determined. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:The transfection efficiency was up to 85%-90% after siRNA lentiviral vector and simple lentiviral vector transfection. The apoptosis rate of astrocytes in the siRNA transfection group was 50%-60% at 24-48 hours after transfection, but there was no significant change in the other two groups. These findings suggest that siRNA lentiviral vectors carrying telomerase reverse transcriptase gene can accelerate astrocytes apoptosis.

BACKGROUND:Cervical single-door laminoplasty for chronic compressive myelopathy has obtained exact effects. To reduce the occurrence of related complications, different doctors have proposed different improvement programs, and have achieved a certain effect, but the effect on postoperative complications is not very wel. OBJECTIVE:To evaluate the effect of modified open-door laminoplasty with steel implantation and preservation of bilateral semispinalis. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed the data of 30 cases of multilevel cervical spondyiotic myelopathy who underwent modified open-door laminoplasty from October 2013 to March 2014. Internal fixation material was Centerpiece titanium plate fixation system. Visual Analogue Scale score, Japanese Orthopaedic Association score (17-score method), neck disability index, range of motion of cervical vertebra, and cervical curvature were compared before treatment and during folow-up. Axial symptom severity was assessed after treatment. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:The patients were followed up for 12-24 months. No complications appeared during repair, including postoperative spinal cord injury, cerebrospinal fluid leakage, infection or C5 nerve root palsy. Only one patient suffered from axial pain, but there was no need for oral medication. The improvement rate of Japanese Orthopaedic Association score was (76.96±17.61)%. Neck disability index decreased from 12.29±3.82 preoperatively to 8.24±2.86 in final follow-up. Range of motion of cervical vertebra (47.41±17.33)° in final follow-up, accounting for (93.0±4.2)% of preoperative data. Cervical curvature decreased from (13.47±10.54)° preoperatively to (12.88±8.56)° in final follow-up. These findings confirm that modified open-door laminoplasty with preservation of bilateral semispinalis can reserve cervical rear structure to maximum extent, is conducive to early functional exercise after rehabilitation, and reduces the incidence of axial symptoms and loss of cervical curvature.

BACKGROUND: At present, more and more scholars pay attention to the influence of spine and pelvis sagittal balance on the quality of life of patients. Postoperative changes in spine imaging parameters fol owing corrective osteotomy for lumbar degenerative kyphosis have not been reported. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate postoperative changes in sagittal balance fol owing corrective osteotomy for lumbar degenerative kyphosis. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed 35 consecutive lumbar degenerative kyphosis patients treated with posterior osteotomy fixation in the First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University from February 2012 to December 2014. Imaging parameters were measured before fixation, immediately after fixation and during final fol ow-up. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: (1) There were significant differences between preoperative and postoperative parameters except for pelvic incidence angle (P < 0.05). (2) There were significant differences between postoperative and last fol ow-up parameters except for Cobb angle, pelvic incidence angle, thoracic kyphosis angle and the thoracolumbar kyphosis (P < 0.05). (3) Pelvic tilt angle was negatively correlated with lumbar lordosis after fixation (r=-0.610, P < 0.001). Thoracic kyphosis was positively correlated with lumbar lordosis (r=0.598, P < 0.001). (4) Results suggested that lumbar sagittal contour can be significantly improved by corrective osteotomy for lumbar degenerative kyphosis. Simultaneously, reciprocal changes in the adjacent areas such as thoracic spine and pelvis occur to adapt to the new sagittal balance.

Objective To investigate the calcium signal transduction pathway in hippocampal neurons of mice with vascular dementia (VaD) and the intervention effect of dihydroergocriptine (DHE). Methods The mice were subjected for ischemia-reperfusion repeatedly on bilateral common carotid arteries by knots to establish the VaD models. Animals with sham-operation were taken as control group. The treating group was administered with DHE after the establishment of VaD model. The behavior changes were observed through the step-down avoidance test and water maze test on the 29th and 30th days after operation. The resting 〔Ca 2+〕 i level of hippocampal neurons was evaluated by laser scanning confocal microscopy. RT-PCR technique was used to measure mRNA expression of CaM an CaMPKⅡ in hippocampal neurons. Results The resting 〔Ca 2+〕 i level in model group(43.50?3.00) was significantly higher than those in the sham-operation group (25.50?3.50) (P

Objective To observe the levels of cAMP and adenylyl cyclase(AC) in hippocampus of mice with vascular dementia(VD) and the effect of Dihydroergocriptine(DHE),and to explore the molecular pathogenesis of VD.Methods The mice were subjected for ischemia-reperfusion three times on bilateral common carotid arteries by knots to establish models of VD and the changes of learning and memory were tested on d29/d30 after operation.DHE was administrated to another group of mice,which was taken as treatment group.The cAMP level was evaluated by the radioimmunoassay;AC mRNA positive neurons of hippocampus CA1 area were examined through in-situ hybridization.Results Compared with shamed-operation group,the learning and memory of model group was worse(P

Objective To quantitatively study the posterior fossa effective space and its relationship with hemifacial spasm (HFS).Methods We conducted a case-control study of patients diagnosed with HFS and sex-and age-matched healthy controls.All subjects underwent high-resolution three-dimensional MRI.The software of 3D-Slicer was used to measure the posterior fossa space and hindbrain tissue volume between the two groups.Results Sixty patients and 60 controls were enrolled in this study.Compared to controls,patients with HFS had a higher posterior fossa crowdedness index (PFCI;83.7％ ± 0.6％ vs 79.2％ ± 0.4％;t =2.58, P =0.01).The multivariate linear regression analysis revealed that a higher PFCI was associated with younger age (r =-0.61, P =0.02), female gender (r =0.76, P =0.003) and HFS (r =-0.43, P =0.01).Conclusions Patients with HFS have a more crowded posterior fossa space than healthy controls, potentially leading to cranial nerve and vascular structure crowding, thus increasing HFS risk.Women have a higher PFCI, which may explain the strong female preponderance in epidemiologic studies.

Objective To observe the therapeutic effect of balance cupping therapy on non-specific low back pain.Methods 75 patients with non-specific low back pain were randomly divided into the control group (n=25), cupping therapy group (n=25) and balance cupping therapy group (n=25). The patients in the control group were received diclofenac sodium enteric-coated capsule; the cases in other two groups were treated with cupping therapy and balance cupping therapy separately. After 3 weeks' treatment, the changes of the visual analogous scores and Oswestry disability index of two groups' patients were observed.Results The visual analogous scores and Oswestry disability index of the balance cupping therapy group were significantly lower than that of the control group and cupping therapy group ( P<0.05) after 3 weeks' treatment. But between the control group and cupping therapy group there was no difference.Conclusion Balance cupping therapy is one of effective treatment methods for non-specific low back pain.

Objective To explore the dynamic change and correlation of the behavior and hippocampal volumes by MRI of rat depressive model. Methods Based on the evaluation of ethology, thirty SD rats were randomly and equally divided into control group and model group which was exposed to chronic unpredictable mild stress for 8 weeks. The body weight, fluid consumption test and Morris water maze test were done at the beginning and per week while the bilateral hippocampal volumes of every rat were measured by high field MRI at the beginning and per two weeks. Results Based on the behavioral data,the rat depressive model was established successfully,and changed dynamically. On 4th week,the left hippocampal volumes of depressive rat were significantly reduced (model group(37.13 ±2.40)mm3 ,control group (39.05 ±2.05)mm3, t=2.36, P＜0.05) while the right ones did not. On 6th week, the right ones began to reduce significantly ( model group ( 37.85 ± 2.11 ) mm3, control group ( 39.44 ± 2.10 ) mm3, t = 2.07, P ＜ 0.05 ) while the left one still reduced, but the extent of the left's reduction was bigger than the right( left:15% ,right:8% ). And there was apparent correlation between the behavior and the reduction of hippocampal volumes. Conclusion The behavior and hippocampal volumes of rat depressive model changes dynamically,and there was a regularity of them.