Objective:To investigate the clinical value of anorectal ultrasound in diagnosing the internal opening of anal fistulas.Methods:A total of 1 353 patients with anal fistulas who were admitted to the Department of Anorectal Surgery at Ningbo No.2 Hospital and underwent anorectal ultrasound examinationResults:The accuracy of anorectal ultrasound in diagnosing the internal opening of anal fistulas was 89.32%. The accuracy for simple anal fistulas was 95.96% compared to 77.86% for complex anal fistulas，with a statistically significant difference（ χ2=178.328， P<0.001）. Further analysis revealed significantly higher rates of misdiagnosis and missed diagnosis in complex anal fistulas（ R=3.776，9.009），with statistically significant differences（| R|>1.960）. Conclusions:Anorectal ultrasound demonstrates high accuracy in diagnosing the internal opening of anal fistula，providing valuable guidance for clinical treatment decisions.

Objective:To compare the anterior long-segment fixation, posterior long-segment fixation, and combined anterior-posterior fixation in the treatment of ankylosing spondylitis with cervical fracture (ASCF).Methods:A retrospective study was conducted to analyze the 153 patients with ASCF who had been treated at Department of Orthopaedics, Peking University Third Hospital and Department of Orthopedics, Luoche Central Hospital between January 2014 and December 2023. The cohort included 86 males and 67 females, with an age of (41.6±11.5) years, a disease duration of (10.0±3.9) years, and an interval from injury to surgery of (3.3±1.4) d. By Frankel's classification for preoperative nerve injury, 57 cases were grade B, 51 grade C, and 45 grade D. Based on the surgical approaches, the patients were divided into 3 groups: an anterior group ( n=63) undergoing the anterior cervical long-segment fixation, a posterior group ( n=51) undergoing the posterior cervical long-segment fixation, and a combination group ( n=39) undergoing combined anterior-posterior cervical fixation. Surgical time, intraoperative blood loss, fracture healing, complications, and changes in Frankel grading for spinal cord injury were compared among the 3 groups. Results:There was no statistically significant difference in the preoperative general data among the 3 groups, indicating comparability ( P > 0.05). All patients were followed up for (33.5±12.0) months after surgery. In the anterior group, the surgical time [(103.0±16.8) min] was significantly shorter than that in the posterior group [(148.4±17.7) min] and that in the combination group [(228.5±23.9) min], the intraoperative blood loss [(92.8±27.8) mL] was significantly less than that in the posterior group [(477.5±109.5) mL] and that in the combination group [(769.5±136.9) mL], and the incidence of complications [9.5% (6/63)] was significantly lower than that in the posterior group [41.2% (21/51)] and that in the combination group [53.8% (21/39)] (all P<0.05). There was no statistically significant difference in the fracture healing time among the 3 groups ( P=0.111). At the last follow-up, X-ray and CT scans showed no loosening or breakage of internal fixation in all the 3 groups. The Frankel grading at the last follow-up: 12 cases of grade C, 15 cases of grade D, and 36 cases of grade E in the anterior group; 3 cases of grade B, 12 cases of grade C, 12 cases of grade D, and 24 cases of grade E in the posterior group; 6 cases of grade C, 12 cases of grade D, and 21 cases of grade E in the combination group. At the last follow-up, all patients showed a significant improvement compared to their Frankel grades before surgery ( P<0.001), but there was no statistically significant difference between the 3 groups ( H=2.238, P=0.327). Conclusions:In the treatment of ASCF, anterior long-segment fixation is advantageous over posterior long-segment fixation and combined anteri-or-posterior fixation due to its shorter surgical time, reduced intraoperative blood loss, and a lower complication incidence. All the 3 surgical approaches demonstrate comparable outcomes in terms of fracture healing time, radiographic stability, and final neurological recovery.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the effectiveness of a zero-profile three-dimensiaonal (3D)-printed microporous titanium alloy Cage and a conventional titanium plate combined with a polyether-ether-ketone (PEEK)-Cage in the treatment of single-segment cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM) by anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF). METHODS: The clinical data of 83 patients with single-segment CSM treated with ACDF between January 2022 and January 2023 were retrospectively analyzed, and they were divided into 3D-ZP group (35 cases, using zero-profile 3D-printed microporous titanium alloy Cage) and CP group (48 cases, using titanium plate in combination with PEEK-Cage). There was no significant difference in gender, age, disease duration, surgical intervertebral space, and preoperative Japanese Orthopaedic Association (JOA) score, visual analogue scale (VAS) score, neck disability index (NDI), vertebral height at the fusion segment, Cobb angle, and other baseline data between the two groups (P>0.05). The operation time, intraoperative blood loss, hospital stay, complications, interbody fusion, and prosthesis subsidence were recorded and compared between the two groups. VAS score, NDI, and JOA score were used to evaluate the improvement of pain and function before operation, at 3 months after operation, and at last follow-up, and the vertebral height at the fusion segment and Cobb angle were measured by imaging. The degree of dysphagia was assessed by the Bazaz dysphagia scale at 1 week and at last follow-up. RESULTS: The operation was successfully completed in all the 83 patients. There was no significant difference in intraoperative blood loss and hospital stay between the two groups (P>0.05), but the operation time in the 3D-ZP group was significantly shorter than that in the CP group (P<0.05). Patients in both groups were followed up 24-35 months, with an average of 25.3 months, and there was no significant difference in the follow-up time between the two groups (P>0.05). The incidence and grade of dysphagia in CP group were significantly higher than those in 3D-ZP group at 1 week after operation and at last follow-up (P<0.05). There was no dysphagia in 3D-ZP group at last follow-up. There was no complication such as implant breakage or displacement in both groups. The intervertebral fusion rates of 3D-ZP group and CP group were 65.71% (23/35) and 60.42% (29/48) respectively at 3 months after operation, and there was no significant difference between the two groups [OR (95%CI)=1.256 (0.507, 3.109), P=0.622]. The JOA score, VAS score, and NDI significantly improved in the 3D-ZP group at 3 months and at last follow-up when compared with preoperative ones (P<0.05), but there was no significant difference between the two groups (P>0.05). There was no significant difference in the improvement rate of JOA between the two groups at last follow-up (P>0.05). At 3 months after operation and at last follow-up, the vertebral height at the fusion segment and Cobb angle significantly improved in both groups, and the two indexes in 3D-ZP group were significantly better than those in CP group (P<0.05). At last follow-up, the incidence of prosthesis subsidence in 3D-ZP group (8.57%) was significantly lower than that in CP group (29.16%) (P<0.05). CONCLUSION The application of zero-profile 3D-printed Cage and titanium plate combined with PEEK-Cage in single-segment ACDF can both reconstruct the stability of cervical spine and achieve good effectiveness. Compared with the latter, the application of the former in ACDF can shorten the operation time, reduce the incidence of prosthesis subsidence, and reduce the incidence of dysphagia.
Humans ; Spinal Fusion/instrumentation* ; Titanium ; Cervical Vertebrae/surgery* ; Diskectomy/instrumentation* ; Bone Plates ; Male ; Printing, Three-Dimensional ; Female ; Retrospective Studies ; Middle Aged ; Treatment Outcome ; Benzophenones ; Adult ; Spondylosis/surgery* ; Aged ; Polymers ; Ketones ; Polyethylene Glycols

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effectiveness of the single-stage anterior eccentric kyphotic distraction reduction technique (EKD-RT) for treating lower cervical dislocation with locked facet joints, assessing its reduction success rate, neurological improvement, and safety. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was conducted on 67 patients with lower cervical dislocation and locked facet joints (21 unilateral, 46 bilateral) treated between January 2015 and January 2024. There were 39 males and 28 females, with an average age of 49.5 years (range, 22-75 years). The injured segments included C _{3, 4} in 4 cases, C _{4, 5} in 13 cases, C _{5, 6} in 22 cases, and C _{6, 7} in 28 cases. The interval between injury and admission ranged from 2 hours to 2 days (mean, 5.6 hours). Preoperative Frankel grading included grade A in 9 cases, grade B in 28 cases, grade C in 17 cases, grade D in 11 cases, and grade E in 2 cases. Japanese Orthopaedic Association (JOA) score was 7.0±1.4. All patients underwent single-stage anterior cervical discectomy and fusion. Following discectomy at the dislocated level, the EKD-RT was applied to unlock and reduce the locked facet joints, followed by internal fixation. Operation time, blood loss, reduction success rate, and complications were recorded. Interbody fusion status was evaluated using Bridwell criteria. Neurological status was assessed pre- and post-operatively using Frankel grading. Spinal cord function was scored using the 17-point JOA score, and the improvement rate was calculated. RESULTS: Successful reduction of the locked facet joints achieved in all cases. The operation time was 41-85 minutes (range, 63.3 minutes), and intraoperative blood loss was 50-360 mL (range, 125.0 mL). Complications included cerebrospinal fluid leakage in 2 cases; no severe complications such as major vascular injury or recurrent laryngeal nerve injury occurred. All patients were followed up 12-24 months (mean, 17.9 months). At last follow-up, radiological examination confirmed interbody fusion in all patients, with no implant failure or migration. The Frankel grading included grade A in 3 cases, grade B in 9 cases, grade C in 13 cases, grade D in 16 cases, and grade E in 26 cases; the JOA score reached 13.7±2.3; all of which significantly improved compared to preoperative levels ( P<0.05). The improvement rate of JOA score was 66.1%±24.7%. CONCLUSION The EKD-RT is an effective surgical approach for lower cervical dislocation with locked facet joints. It enables safe and efficient reduction of the locked facet joints via a single incision, resulting in significant neurological improvement with a low complication rate.
Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Female ; Cervical Vertebrae/diagnostic imaging* ; Retrospective Studies ; Adult ; Aged ; Zygapophyseal Joint/injuries* ; Joint Dislocations/diagnostic imaging* ; Treatment Outcome ; Spinal Fusion/methods* ; Young Adult ; Kyphosis/surgery*

Objective:To investigate the clinical value of anorectal ultrasound in diagnosing the internal opening of anal fistulas.Methods:A total of 1 353 patients with anal fistulas who were admitted to the Department of Anorectal Surgery at Ningbo No.2 Hospital and underwent anorectal ultrasound examinationResults:The accuracy of anorectal ultrasound in diagnosing the internal opening of anal fistulas was 89.32%. The accuracy for simple anal fistulas was 95.96% compared to 77.86% for complex anal fistulas，with a statistically significant difference（ χ2=178.328， P<0.001）. Further analysis revealed significantly higher rates of misdiagnosis and missed diagnosis in complex anal fistulas（ R=3.776，9.009），with statistically significant differences（| R|>1.960）. Conclusions:Anorectal ultrasound demonstrates high accuracy in diagnosing the internal opening of anal fistula，providing valuable guidance for clinical treatment decisions.

Objective:To compare the anterior long-segment fixation, posterior long-segment fixation, and combined anterior-posterior fixation in the treatment of ankylosing spondylitis with cervical fracture (ASCF).Methods:A retrospective study was conducted to analyze the 153 patients with ASCF who had been treated at Department of Orthopaedics, Peking University Third Hospital and Department of Orthopedics, Luoche Central Hospital between January 2014 and December 2023. The cohort included 86 males and 67 females, with an age of (41.6±11.5) years, a disease duration of (10.0±3.9) years, and an interval from injury to surgery of (3.3±1.4) d. By Frankel's classification for preoperative nerve injury, 57 cases were grade B, 51 grade C, and 45 grade D. Based on the surgical approaches, the patients were divided into 3 groups: an anterior group ( n=63) undergoing the anterior cervical long-segment fixation, a posterior group ( n=51) undergoing the posterior cervical long-segment fixation, and a combination group ( n=39) undergoing combined anterior-posterior cervical fixation. Surgical time, intraoperative blood loss, fracture healing, complications, and changes in Frankel grading for spinal cord injury were compared among the 3 groups. Results:There was no statistically significant difference in the preoperative general data among the 3 groups, indicating comparability ( P > 0.05). All patients were followed up for (33.5±12.0) months after surgery. In the anterior group, the surgical time [(103.0±16.8) min] was significantly shorter than that in the posterior group [(148.4±17.7) min] and that in the combination group [(228.5±23.9) min], the intraoperative blood loss [(92.8±27.8) mL] was significantly less than that in the posterior group [(477.5±109.5) mL] and that in the combination group [(769.5±136.9) mL], and the incidence of complications [9.5% (6/63)] was significantly lower than that in the posterior group [41.2% (21/51)] and that in the combination group [53.8% (21/39)] (all P<0.05). There was no statistically significant difference in the fracture healing time among the 3 groups ( P=0.111). At the last follow-up, X-ray and CT scans showed no loosening or breakage of internal fixation in all the 3 groups. The Frankel grading at the last follow-up: 12 cases of grade C, 15 cases of grade D, and 36 cases of grade E in the anterior group; 3 cases of grade B, 12 cases of grade C, 12 cases of grade D, and 24 cases of grade E in the posterior group; 6 cases of grade C, 12 cases of grade D, and 21 cases of grade E in the combination group. At the last follow-up, all patients showed a significant improvement compared to their Frankel grades before surgery ( P<0.001), but there was no statistically significant difference between the 3 groups ( H=2.238, P=0.327). Conclusions:In the treatment of ASCF, anterior long-segment fixation is advantageous over posterior long-segment fixation and combined anteri-or-posterior fixation due to its shorter surgical time, reduced intraoperative blood loss, and a lower complication incidence. All the 3 surgical approaches demonstrate comparable outcomes in terms of fracture healing time, radiographic stability, and final neurological recovery.

Lupus nephritis (LN), a severe manifestation of systemic lupus erythematosus, poses a substantial risk of progression to end-stage renal disease, with increased mortality. Conventional therapy for LN relies on broad-spectrum immunosuppressants such as glucocorticoids, mycophenolate mofetil, and calcineurin inhibitors. Although therapeutic regimens have evolved over the years, they have inherent limitations, including non-specific targeting, substantial adverse effects, high relapse rates, and prolonged maintenance and remission courses. These drawbacks underscore the need for targeted therapeutic strategies for LN. Recent advancements in our understanding of LN pathogenesis have led to the identification of novel therapeutic targets and the emergence of biological agents and small-molecule inhibitors with improved specificity and reduced toxicity. This review provides an overview of the current evidence on targeted therapies for LN, elucidates the biological mechanisms of responses and failure, highlights the challenges ahead, and outlines strategies for subsequent clinical trials and integrated immunomodulatory approaches.

Objectives:This study aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of bendamustine in combination with rituximab (BR regimen) for the treatment of newly diagnosed indolent B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (B-iNHL) and elderly mantle cell lymphoma (eMCL) .Methods:From December 1, 2020 to September 10, 2022, a multi-center prospective study was conducted across ten Grade A tertiary hospitals in Shandong Province, China. The BR regimen was administered to evaluate its efficacy and safety in newly diagnosed B-iNHL and eMCL patients, and all completed at least four cycles of induction therapy.Results:The 72 enrolled patients with B-iNHL or MCL were aged 24-74 years, with a median age of 55 years. Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status scores of 0-1 were observed in 76.4% of patients, while 23.6% had scores of 2. Disease distribution included follicular lymphoma (FL) (51.4% ), marginal zone lymphoma (MZL) (33.3% ), eMCL (11.1% ), and the unknown subtype (4.2% ). According to the Ann Arbor staging system, 16.7% and 65.3% of patients were diagnosed with stage Ⅲ and stage Ⅳ lymphomas, respectively. Following four cycles of BR induction therapy, the overall response rate was 98.6%, with a complete response (CR) rate of 83.3% and a partial response (PR) rate of 15.3%. Only one eMCL patient experienced disease progression during treatment, and only one FL patient experienced a relapse. Even when evaluated using CT alone, the CR rate was 63.9%, considering the differences between PET/CT and CT assessments. The median follow-up duration was 11 months (range: 4-22), with a PFS rate of 96.8% and an OS rate of 100.0%. The main hematologic adverse reactions included grade 3-4 leukopenia (27.8%, with febrile neutropenia observed in 8.3% of patients), grade 3-4 lymphopenia (23.6% ), grade 3-4 anemia (5.6% ), and grade 3-4 thrombocytopenia (4.2% ). The main non-hematologic adverse reactions such as fatigue, nausea/vomiting, rash, and infections occurred in less than 20.0% of patients.Conclusion:Within the scope of this clinical trial conducted in China, the BR regimen demonstrated efficacy and safety in treating newly diagnosed B-iNHL and eMCL patients.

Closed-loop hospital management can effectivly cope with the COVID-19 pandemic. In order to ensure the continuity of treatments for hemodialysis patients under closed-loop management and minimize possible medical and infection risks, Huashan Hospital affiliated to Fudan University and 9 hospitals in Shanghai established a hemodialysis alliance in January 2021.The alliance optimized hemodialysis resources within the region through overall planning by preparing sites, materials and personnel shifts in advance, and establishing management systems and work processes to ensure that patients could be quickly and orderly diverted to other blood dialysis centers for uninterrupted high-quality hemodialysis services, in case that some hemodialysis centers in the alliance under closed-loop management.From November 2021 to April 2022, 317 of 1 459 hemodialysis patients in the alliance were diverted to other centers for treatment, accumulating 1 215 times/cases of treatments without obvious adverse reactions. The practice could provide a reference for medical institutions to quickly establish mutual support mode under major public health events.

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) are the most problematic metabolic diseases in the world. NAFLD encompasses a spectrum of severity, ranging from simple steatosis to non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and fibrosis, increasing the risk of cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Importantly, NAFLD is closely linked to obesity and tightly interrelated with insulin resistance and T2DM. T2DM and NAFLD (T2DM-NAFLD) are called as the Xike Rixijing Disease and Tonglaga Indigestion Disease respectively, in Mongolian medicine. Xike Rixijing Disease maybe develop into Tonglaga Indigestion Disease. Forturnately many Mongolian medicines show efficient treatment of T2DM-NAFLD, such as Agriophyllum squarrosum, Haliyasu (dried powder of camel placenta), Digeda-4 (herbs of Lomatogonium carinthiacum, rhizomata of Coptis chinensis, ripe fruits of Gardenia jasminoides, herbs of Dianthus superbus), Guangmingyan Siwei Decoction Powder (Halite, ripe fruits of Terminalia chebula, rhizomata of Zingiber officinale, fruit clusters of Piper longum), Tonglaga-5 (ripe fruits of Punica granatum, barks of Cinnamomum cassia, ripe fruits of Amomum kravanh, fruit clusters of Piper longum, flowers of Carthamus tinctorius), Tegexidegeqi (rhizomata of Inula helenium, ripe fruits of Gardenia jasminoides, rhizomata of Platycodon grandiflorum, rhizomata of Coptis chinensis, heartwood of Caesalpinia sappan), Ligan Shiliu Bawei San (ripe fruits of Punica granatum, barks of Cinnamomum cassia, ripe fruits of Amomum kravanh, fruit clusters of Piper longum, flowers of Carthamus tinctorius, ripe fruits of Amomum tsao-ko, rhizomata of Zingiber officinale), etc. Principles of Mongolian medicine in treating diseases: by balancing “three essences or roots” and “seven elements”, strengthening liver and kidney function, transporting nutrients to enhance physical strength and disease resistance, and combined with drugs for comprehensive conditioning treatment. However, their molecular mechanisms remain unclear. In this review, we prospect that Mongolian medicines might be a promising treatment for T2DM-NAFLD by activating P2X7R/NLRP3/NF-κB inflammatory pathway via lipid-sensitive nuclear receptors (i.e., FXR and LXR).