Objective To investigate the morphological characteristics of the intervertebral foramina and their alterations in the process of disc height loss in low lumbar spine in order to provide basic data for the diagnosis and treatment of foraminal stenosis. Methods Eight fresh cadaveric lumbar spines of L3 to S1 were obtained for study, which were cleaned off their surrounding muscles and kept the ligaments, annulus fibrous and nerve roots attached. The morphological characteristics of foramina of L4,5 and L5S1 and their anatomic relationships with the nerve roots were observed with and without nucleus pulposus in situ under different loading conditions (0, 300, 500 N). The foraminal dimensions including heights, maximal widths and minimal widths were measured, and the disc heights were measured on lateral radiograph under above loading conditions as well. Results Without any loading, the foramina were inverted teardrop shaped, the foramina of L4,5 were similar to that of L5S1. The nerve roots were located in the upper part of the foramina, and passed across the foramina obliquely. With 500 N loading, the shapes of the foramina and the relationships with the nerve roots were found to be changed little. After removal of nucleus pulposus and more loading was applied, the foramina became stenotic gradually and the nerve roots were pushed against the superior pedicle. The foraminal heights, maximal widths and the anterior, posterior disc heights became narrower, and were significantly different from those under no loading condition (P

Objective To introduce the processes of vascularized parathyroid gland reservation and parathyroid autotransplantation applied in thyroidectomy. Methods In 46 cases who underwent total/near total thyroidectomy, in situ vascularized parathyroid gland reservation was performed in 24 cases,isolated parathyroid autotransplantation was performed in 5 cases, in situ vascularized parathyroid gland reservation of 1～2 parathyroid glands combined with immediately transplantation of the remaining isolated parathyroid glands were performed in 17 cases. Results Five cases suffered from transient hypocalcaemia, including 2 cases of vascularized parathyroid gland reservation and 3 cases of vascularized parathyroid gland reservation in 1～2 parathyroid glands combined with immediately transplantation of other parathyroid glands. Two cases who received parathyroid autotransplantation suffered from hypocalcaemia and received conservative treatment with activated vitamin D3 and caleium for 4 weeks or 8 weeks. Permanent hypoparathyroidism occurred in 1 case of 46 cases which undergone the total/near total thyroidectomy(2.2%). Conclusion Application of vascularized parathyroid gland reservation and parathyroid autotransplantation in total/near total thyroidectomy could reduce the incidence rate of post-operative hypoparathyroidism.

ObjectiveTo investigate the clinical biocharacteristics,treatment,prognosis and the factors that influence prognosis of anaplastic thyroid carcinoma(ATC). MethodsThe clinical data of 108 ATC patients treated at our institution from January 1981 to April 2009 and follow-up results were retrospectively reviewed.ResultsThe median survival time of 108 patients was 6 months.The overall 1-year,2-year,5-year survival rate was 40.3％,30.9％ and 21.9％ respectively.Univariate analysis showed the factors influencing the prognosis of ATC patients were tumor size, distant metastases, stage,leukocytosis, radiotherapy, localresection, postoperativeradiotherapyandmultimodalitytherapy.Multivariate analysis indicated that tumor size,stage,leukocytosis and radiotherapy were independently associated with the prognosis.ConclusionsAnaplastic thyroid carcinoma is rare but highly aggressive malignancy with poor prognosis. ATC patients should receive multimodality therapy,especially local resection and postoperative radiotherapy.Even inoperable patients could benefit from radiotherapy.

Objective To analyze and compare the ultrasound characteristics in different pathologic classifications of thyroid carcinoma.The ultrasound characteristics of thyroid carcinoma were investigated in order to determine the clinical diagnosis and clinical stasing of thyroid carcinoma.Methods In this study,407 cases of thyroid carcinoma were enlisted for ultrasonic typing of thyroid carcinoma according to the ultrasound features.The resuh was used for clinical staging of thyroid carcinoma. Results Combined ultrasound mediated clinical stage has a higher accuracy rate and specificity,its accuracy rate of T stage is 93.9%,for No stage is 86.1%,for N1a stage is 80%,for Nlb stage is 74.9%.Preoporative US detected 51.5% occult metastatic LN.Conclusion Ultrasound has a very important effectiveness for the evaluation.staging,location of thyroid carcinoma and cervical lymph node metastasis.

Objective:To determine the clinical features of papillary thyroid microcarcinoma (PTMC) and the risk factors for central compartment lymph node (CCLN) metastasis in PTMC. Methods:Data of 1 401 patients with PTMC who were treated in Tianjin Medi-cal University Cancer Institute and Hospital between January 2014 and December 2014 were retrospectively analyzed. Chi-square test and multivariate Logistic regression analysis were used to study the risk factors. Results:With regard to clinicopathological features, the sex ratio is 1:3.4 in patients with PTMC. CCLN metastasis affected 427 (30.5%) of the total 1 401 patients. Age (χ2=14.587, P<0.01), sex (χ2=21.636, P<0.01), tumor multifocality (χ2=35.505, P<0.01), tumor size (χ2=58.868, P<0.01), tumor site (χ2=8.385, P<0.05), and extracapsular/extraglandular invasions (χ2=26.481, P<0.01) were significantly correlated with CCLN metastasis. For patients with a soli-tary primary tumor, tumor location in the lower third of the thyroid lobe was associated with a higher risk of CCLN metastasis (48.1%). The male gender, age<45 years, tumor size>6 mm, extracapsular spread, and tumor bilaterality were independently correlated with CCLN metastasis. Conclusion:A prophylactic neck dissection of the central compartment must be considered particularly in male PT-MC patients with age<45 years, tumor size>6 mm, extracapsular spread, and tumor bilaterality.

AIM:To characterize the effect of estradiol on proliferation,differentiation and extracellular matrix(ECM) accumulation in stromal cells through regulation of BPH-1 paracrine.METHODS:BPH-1 cells were stimulated with different concentrations of estradiol.Conditioned media(CM) were harvested and their effects on stromal cell cultures were tested.Cell proliferation was determined by MTT assay.mRNA of smoothelin,fibronectin,collagen Ⅳ and transforming growth factor ?1(TGF-?1) were analyzed by real-time RT-PCR.Western blotting was used to determine smooth muscle myosin heavy chain(SMMHC).ELISA and radioimmunoassay were respectively used to measure fibronectin,TGF-?1 and collagen Ⅳ protein expressions.RESULTS:Estrodiol stimulated the expression and secretion of TGF-?1 in BPH-1 cells.The proliferation of stromal cells increased when they were cultured with CM harvested from estrogen treated BPH-1 cells.The mRNA levels of collagen Ⅳ and smoothelin increased in stromal cells treated with CM from BPH-1 cells.The results of radioimmunoassay also showed that the collagen Ⅳ protein level up-regulated in the supernatants and cell extracts of CM-treated stromal cells.A neutralizing antibody to TGF-?1 inhibited the stimulation of collagen Ⅳ and SMMHC by BPH-1 CM.The expression of fibronectin was only marginally changed in stromal cells cultured in the presence of BPH-1 CM.CONCLUSION:The BPH-1 cells increase ECM accumulation and differentiation of stromal cells through TGF-?1.Estradiol stimulate differentiation of stromal cells by induction of TGF-?1 expression.Estradiol stimulate proliferation by influencing the factors secreted from prostatic epithelial cells.

Objective To investigate standard diagnosis and treatment of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leakage to improve the prognosis of the patients. Methods A retrospective study was done on 75 patients with CSF leakage from January 2004 to March 2007 in our hospital. There were 51 patients with rhinorrhea, nine with otorrhea and 15 with wound/incision leakage. Of all, 39 patients had traumatic leakage, 32 postoperative leakage and four spontaneous leakage. In the study, 23 patients were cured by position testing and drug therapy and 16 by cerebrospinal fluid drainage and/or wound debridement but 36 were treated with surgeries including craniotomy repair in 17, extracranial repair in 17 and CSF shunt in five (three received CSF shunt after repair). Results Of all, 64 patients were cured, 10 gained im-provement but one died. Conclusion Standard diagnosis and treatment of CSF leakage helps improve cure rate and reduce complications.

Objective To investigate the clinical effect of modified anterior approach to manage fracture of the ulnar coronoid process via the space of brachial artery and vein with median nerve.Methods From June 2012 to January 2013,11 patients with ulnar coronoid fracture were fixed via the modified anterior approach.The operation time,intraoperative blood loss and postoperative complications were recorded.Flexion and rotation range of motion about the injured and normal elbow were observed during postoperative follow-up period.Function of elbow joint was evaluated by mayo elbow performance index (MEPI).Results There was approximate 8 cm in length and 5 cm in width between the brachial vessels and median nerve.Operated angle from radial to ulnar side was fifty degrees and from proximal to distal end was sixty degrees.All the patients were available for follow-up.The fracture healed,that is the elbow flexion restored [(130.7 ±5.0) °] was 96.6％ of the unaffected elbow,elbow extension restored [(7.6 ± 8.1) °] was 84.0％ of the unaffected elbow,pronation restored [(86.9 ± 3.8) °] was 98.2％ of the unaffected side,and supination restored [(85.6 ± 6.0) °] was 96.7％ of the unaffected side.MEPI of the elbow joint was over 75 points.Conclusion Modified anterior approach is relatively safe and simple in operation and results in satisfactory function recovery of the elbow joint,providing a new surgical approach for treatment of coronoid process fracture.

Objective:To discuss the causes and effective measures of prevention and treatment of chylous fistula after central lymph node dissection (CLND) of thyroid cancer. Methods:A total of 6 127 patients who underwent CLND of thyroid cancer in the Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital between July 2013 and June 2015 were analyzed;of which, 14 patients acquired the complication of postoperative chylous fistula. The following conservative treatments were initially performed:systemic therapy, local pressure bandaging, normal pressure drainage, 50%glucose injection, or pingyangmycin injection through a drainage tube. Surgical op-eration was then conducted when the efficacy of the treatment was poor. Results:After the conservative treatment of the 14 patients, the drainage volume gradually decreased in 12 patients, and surgery was performed on the remaining two patients. Conclusion:The CLND of thyroid cancer must be carefully conducted to prevent postoperative chylous fistula. An active conservative treatment must be the first option when chylous fistula occurs. Surgery must only be performed if the treatment is invalid.

BACKGROUND:Currently, the morphologic changes of the discoid lateral meniscus (DLM) remain unclear, and morphological indexes used to evaluate the injuries of DLM stil need to be explored. OBJECTIVE:To compare the MR imaging difference between symptomatic and asymptomatic DLM in adults, and to select reliablemorphologicalparametersfor assessing DLM. METHODS:A total of 36 patients (36 knees) with a symptomatic DLM (study group)and 34 patients (34 knees) with an asymptomatic DLM (control group) were included in this study. GE Healthcare Centricity RIS/PACKS System was used to measure the primary morphological parameters of two patients with DLM on coronal MR imaging. Intergroup comparison was performed with the Wilcoxon test. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:On the coronal MR imaging, the width of the body portion and height of the free edge of the DLM was significantly increased in the study group compared with the control group (P< 0.001), while the height of the peripheral portion which connects with the capsule of the DLM was significantly decreased in the study group compared with the control group (P= 0.002). The heightof the middle of the DLM and the width of the lateral femoral condyle showed no significant differences between the both groups (P> 0.05). The width ratio of the body of the DLM to the lateral femoral condyle and the height ratio of height of the free edge to the middle of the DLM were significantly increased in thestudy group compared with the control group (P< 0.001), while the height ratio of the peripheral portion to the middle for the DLM was significantly decreased compared with the control group (P< 0.001). These findings suggest that compared with asymptomatic discoid lateral meniscus, the width of the body portion and the height of the free edge for the DLM are increased;however,the height of the peripheral portion which connects with the capsule of the DLM is decreased. The width ratio of the body portion of the DLM to the lateral femoral condyle and the height ratio of the free edge to the middle for the DLM may be reliable morphological parameters for the assessment of the DLM in adults.