[Objective]To evaluate the accuracy and influenceing factors of somatosensory evoked potential in spinal cord monitoring during cervical and thoracic spinal surgery and intraoperative nerve root monitoring in lumbar surgery.[Method]The somatosensory evoked potential(SEP) were used during arvical and thoracic spinal surgery and evaluated the accuracy of SEP according to the record of different stages and spinal cord function after surgery.The EMG were used to monitor the nerve root function in lumber operation to estimate whether nerve root being stimulated or tensioned.In addition,affected fators of SEP and EMG during operation were observed.[Result]Of 128 cases of cervical and thoracic surgery,116 cases did not reach the warning standards(amplitude decreasing 50% or diappearing) and showed no postoperative enhancement of symptom of nerve roots injury.12 cases reached the warning standards intraoperatively and the surgeon were warned to take some steps to finish the operations,only in one case incompletely transient paralysis occurred due to the time of amplitude decreasing of intraoperative SEP more than 10 minutes.Effect of other factors such as anaesthesia and low blood pressure did not reach the warning standards.There were 3 artifical negative cases.Only 1 was artifical positive case.of 40 cases of lumbar surgery,12 cases were found myoelectic responses,which warning the surgeon at any time to avoid nerve roots injury,no nerve roots injury were found after operation.[Conclusion]During cervical and thoracic spinal operation,the somatosensory evoked potential can reflect the physiological and pathological conditions of spinal cord after ruling out the interfering factors.Intraoperative spontaneous electromyography can reflect the nerve roots function promptly and accurately and assure the safety of lumbar surgery.

BACKGROUND: There are no reports about adult degenerative disc cell culture model currently. This establishment of disc cell culture is the cellular basis of intervertebral disc tissue engineering. OBJECTIVE: To establish cell culture models from human degenerative intervertebral disc, and to settle the cytology base of disc tissue engineering. DESIGN AND SETTING: The controlled observational experiment with regard to cytology was performed in Shandong Institute of Orthopaedics and Traumatology. MATERIALS: Five degenerative intervertebral disc patients were recruited from Department of Orthopaedics, Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University Medical College, including one case in L2-3, three cases in L4-5 and one case in L5-S1. METHODS: Five samples were taken from the operational disectomy for lumbar disc herniation, and these samples were cultured using enzymatic digestion cell culture and tissue cell culture method differently. All the samples were cultured with HAMF12 medium with the addition of 10% and 20% fetal bovine serum. The morphology of the cultured cell was observed with Giernsa staining and transmission electron microscopy respectively. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: ①Cellular growth; ②Morphology of the cultured cells;③Ultrastructure Of the cultured cells. RESULTS: By means of enzymatic digestion cell culture and tissue cell culture method, numerous degenerative lumbar disc cells were obtained and successfully subcultured. The cell secretions around the cultured cells may influence the growth of these cells. Destroying the secretions, the cultured cells could be highly proliferated. The degenerative intervertebral disc cells were proliferated vigorously in HAMF12 medium with 20% fetal bovine serum compared with that with 10% fetal bovine serum. The notochordal cell was observed in all the specimens. CONCLUSION: The adult degenerative disc can be used to obtain the required cell for tissue engineering.

BACKGROUND: It has been successful to repair articular cartilage defects by using solid carrier as cytoskeleton. We tried to transplant liquid or gel carrier materials combined cells into the body of animals, and investigated its feasibility.OBJECTIVE: To investigate the feasibility of homo-transplatation with liquid or gel carrier materials of Pluronic F-127-recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein-2 (rhBMP-2) engineered chondrocytes for the repair of full-thickness rabbit articular cartilage defect.DESIGN: A controlled experiment.SETTINGS: Department of Orthopaedics, Weihai Municipal Hospital;Shandong Institute of Orthopaedics and Traumaology.MATERIALS: The experiments were carried out in the laboratory of Shandong Institute of Orthopaedics and Traumaology from November 2001 to September 2003. Thirty-six healthy adult New Zealand rabbits of 2.5-4.5 kg, either male or female, were divided into four groups according to the method of random number table: Pluronic F-127-rhBMP-2 engineered chondrocytes group, Pluronic F-127-rhBMP group, Pluronic F127 engineered chondrocytes group and blank control group, with 9 rabbits in each group.METHODS: After grouping, the 36 rabbits were made into models of articular cartilage defects. Pluronic F-127-rhBMP-2 was used as a vector of chondrocytes which were obtained from New Zealand rabbits after cultured and amplified in vitro. The mixture of Pluronic F-127, Pluronic F-127-rhBMP-2 and cultured chondrocytes was transplanted into the defects of articular cartilage that had been made previously with φb3.5 mm drill.There was not any treatment in the blank control group. At 4, 8 and 12 weeks postoperatively, the repairing conditions of the defects were evaluated with gross observation and histological observation under light microscope and under electron microscope. The repaire quality was assessed blindly according to the Wakitani scoring standard.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: ① Healing of cartilage defects; ② Property and morphology of the chondrocytes, characteristics, number and arrangement of collagens in matrix.RESULTS: ① In the Pluronic F-127-rhBMP-2 engineered chondrocytes group, the transplanted chondrocytes could grow better than those in other groups, the defected areas were completely filled at 4 weeks. The regenerated tissues at 8 and 12 weeks had similar appearance with the surrounding normal cartilage tissue, but vague. Delimitation. The histological examination showed that transparent cartilages formed, and the defects were healed. ② Under electron microscope at 8 and 12 weeks, there were mature transparent cartilages in the repaired tissues, and there were irregularly arranged slight, even and non-periodical collagen Ⅱ in surrounding. In the blank control group, only fibrous repair was observed, the regenerated tissue lacked elasticity with rough surface. ③ Repairing quality score: The scores at each time point in the Pluronic F-127-rhBMP-2 engineered chondrocytes group were significantly different from those in the other groups.Those in the Pluronic F-127-rhBMP-2 engineered chondrocytes group and Pluronic F-127-rhBMP-2 group and Pluronic F-127 engineered chondrocytes group were significantly different from those in the blank control group [4 weeks: (3.93±1.91), (4.56±1.07), (4.78±1.09), (8.44±1.13) points:8 weeks: (2.80±1.45), (3.24±1.00), (3.33±1.00), (8.44±1.13) points; 12 weeks (2.22±1.10), (3.01±0.69), (3.00±0.71), (9.00±0.87) points, P ＜ 0.001],but there were no significant differences between the two groups (P ＞ 0.05).CONCLUSION: The mixture of Pluronic F-127-rhBMP-2 and cultured chondrocytes can repair successfully the cartilage defects of femoral condyle of rabbit knees by means of hyaline cartilage than simple application of Pluronic F-127-rhBMP-2 or Pluronic F-127 engineered chondrocytes.

OBJECTIVETo study gene expression of collagen types IX and X in human lumbar intervertebral discs during aging and degeneration and to explore the role of collagen types IX and X in disc degeneration.

METHODSFetal, adult and pathologic specimens were subjected to in situ hybridization with cDNA probes to investigate mRNA-expressions of types IX and X collagen gene.

RESULTSIn fetal intervertebral discs, positive mRNA hybridization signals of type IX collagen were concentrated in the nucleus pulposus and the inner layer of anulus fibrosus. Interstitial matrix of the nucleus pulposus also showed positive type X collagen staining. Positive mRNA hybridization signals of types IX and X were not detected in the middle and outer layers of anulus fibrosus. In adult specimens, expression of type IX collagen mRNA was markedly decreased. No hybridization signals of type X collagen was observed. As for pathological specimens, there was no gene expression of type IX collagen. In severe degenerated discs from adults, there were focal positive expressions of type X collagen.

CONCLUSIONSObvious changes of collagen gene expression occur with aging. Expression of type IX collagen decreases in adult and pathological discs. Results of type X collagen expression suggest that type X collagen is expressed only in older adult and senile discs (i.e., when disc degeneration has already reached a terminal stage), indicating the terminal stage of degeneration.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Collagen Type IX ; metabolism ; Collagen Type X ; metabolism ; Female ; Gene Expression ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; In Situ Hybridization ; Intervertebral Disc ; embryology ; metabolism ; Lumbar Vertebrae ; Male

Objective To retrospectively evaluate and analyze the clinical effect of posterior pedicle subtraction osteotomy in treating chronic, posttraumatic thoracolumbar kyphosis. Methods Nineteen patients (11 males and 8 females) with chronic, posttraumatic thoracolumbar kyphosis were corrected surgically. The patients were at age range of 29-61 years (mean 42 years). Preoperative kyphosis Cobb angle ranged from 31° to 63° (mean 47°) and trauma history ranged from 8 months to 63 months (mean 29 months). All patients were treated with pedicle subtraction osteotomy according to the size of Cobb angle, extent of spinal stenosis and source of compression. Results Sagittal alignment was improved to average 40.2°, with a correction rate of 85.8%. Two patients developed postoperative leakage of cerebrospinal fluid. Among them, one was combined with encephalic infection and cured with active treatment, and the other developed postoperative wound infection, which were treated conservatively with antibiotics and local wound care. There were no other severe complications. The average follow-up period was 15 months (range 6-41 months). At the last follow-up, clinical symptoms and neurological function were improved significantly. Neither loss of correction nor failure of internal fixators was observed. X-ray and dynamic X-ray films showed a 100% fusion in all patients. Conclusions The single-stage posterior pedicle subtraction osteotomy is a safe and effective procedure for correction of posttraumatic thoracolumbar kyphosis. It is possible and safe to obtain a correction within 55° on single segment by this technique.