The early treatment principles of spinal cord injury (SCI) included early drug using, early surgery and early rehabilitation.The literatures on how to use drug early and how to control the time for SCI before surgery were reviewed.

Objective To evaluate the effects of nutritional status on wound healing after hip fracture in the elderly. Methods From July 2002 to December 2004, 127 patients with hip fracture who were older than 65 years were treated surgically in our department. Their preoperative nutritional status was reviewed. There were 69 males and 58 females, with an average age of 72.7 years (from 65 to 99 years). 60 cases had femoral neck fractures, and 67 cases had intertrochanteric fractures. The parameters indicative of nutritional status (serum albumin, serum transferrin and total lymphocyte count levels) at the time of admission were assessed, along with Rainey McDonald nutritional index and age. Suture removal was performed on postoperative day 14. Results Delayed wound healing complicated 31 of the 127 cases. The preoperative serum transferrin levels were significantly lower in patients who subsequently had delayed wound healing. Only preoperative serum transferrin levels( P

0.05). Conclusion The study of the characteristic of track of percutaneous transpedicular puncture is good for the safe procdure under image guidance. The standard track is safe for transpedicular or parapedicular puncture. The percutaneous transpedicular puncturing sites can be located according to the spinous process.

[Objective]To investigate the feasibility of the placement of pedicle screws in the thoracolumbar vertebrae under X-ray fluoroscopy step by step.[Method]Eight human cadaveric thoracolumbar spines(T9~L5) were selected and classified into group A and group B randomly,each having 4 specimens.Pedicle screws in group A were placed under X-ray fluoroscopy step by step.CT scanned the specimens of group A and measured the half pedicle length,full pedicle length and the pedicle screw passage length.The "e" angle and "f" angle of pedicle were measured on CT images.When the guide wire was pricked to the half of pedicle length,the wire tip was located at the middle line of the pedicle projection in the standard posterior-anterior image.When the wire was pricked to the full pedicle length in lumbar vertebrae,its tip was located at 3/4 line of the pedicle projection in the standard posterior-anterior image.When the wire was pricked to the full pedicle length in thoracic vertebrae,its tip was located at between 1/2 line and 3/4 line of the pedicle projection.When the wire was pricked into vertebrae,the depth of the wire and the "e" angle were noted in standard lateral image.Pedicle screws were placed by the track of the guide wire.Pedicle screws in group B were placed by traditional technique.The accuracy and feasibility of the method under X-ray fluoroscopy step by step were evaluated by observation of the position of the pedicle screws in group A and group B.[Result] Four of 72(5.56%) pedicle screws were found to have perforated the pedicle wall in group A,and 19 of 72(26.38%) pedicle screws perforated the pedicle wall in group B.The result of group A was superior to that of group B(P

[Objective]To evaluate the effects of transpedicular internal fixation system for occipitocervical fusion.[Method]From Jan.2004 to Jan.2007,occipitocervical fusion was performed in 21 patients(12 male,9 female,mean age 45.3 years) with transpedicular internal fixation system(Sofamor Danek Company).There were 14 with upper cervical tumor,3 with cervical congenital malformation and 4 with dens axis fracture combined with atlantoaxial dislocation.The clinical outcomes were investigated by clinical observations,radiologic studies and statistical analysis.[Result]All the patients were followed up for 6 to 40 months with an average of 21 months.The result of X-ray showed that bony fusion was successful in 16 patients at 3 months and 5 patients at 6 months of follow-ups.There was no deterioration of spinal cord injury.The JOA scores of neurofunction increased from 5-17 points(mean 12.6 points) to 8-17 points(mean 15.8 points),with the improvement of 72%.All patients were partly limited in rotation movement.Seventeen patients had a rotatain of 100?,three was 80?,and one was 50?.[Conclusion]Transpedicular internal fixation system has multiaxial screw of three-column fixation and plastic rods,which offers strong fixation and good fusion.It can also benefit the maintenance of cervical curve.It is an effective and reliable method for reconstruction of upper cervical stability.

Objective To review and analyze the complications of spondylolisthesis treated wi th BAK interbody fusion cages.Methods One hundred and eighteen patients wi th spondylolisthesis were treated with BAK interbody fusion ca ges,the intraoperative and postoperative complications were reviewed,which include dural tear,nerve root injury,unsatisfactory cage position,cage retropulsion,cage subsidence and postlaminectomy adhesive arachnoiditis.Results The intraoperative complication ra te was 11%and the most commonly seen were dural tear 4c ases(3.4%),nerve root damage 3cases(2.5%)and unsatisfactory cage position 9cases(7.6%),2cases had both dural tear and unsatisfactory cage position,1patient had both nerve root injury and unsatisfactory cage position.The postoperative c omplication rate was 7.6%,which chiefly consisted of cage retropuls ion 3cases(2.5%),cage subsidence 4cases(3.4%),and postlaminec-tomy adhesive arachnoiditis 2cases(1.7%),2cases of cage retropulsion and 2ca ses of cage subsidence show partial nonunion,2cases of cage subsidence had arachnoiditis.Conclusion As a new technique,lumbar interbody fusion with BAK cages are r apidly gaining popularity,however,the complications described here suggest the importance of selection s of surgical indications and proper manipulations.[

Objective To evaluate biomeehanic characteristics of lumbar spondylolysis and spondylolisthesis single vertebrae reduction fixation system (LSRF), and discuss its mechanism of reduction. Method Twenty-four adult isthmus lumbar vertebrae specimen were disconnected and fixed with LSRF, Hefti, Salib's method respectively, and the biomechanic characteristics of the fixation devices were tested. Isthmus of L5 in 4 adult spine specimen was destroyed under loading to produce the spondylolisthesis model, and reduction by LSRF. Result The LSRF has a good ability for reduction and its strength for reduction is 1.6, 2.7 times as high compared with the Hefti, Salib's methods respectively. The mechanism of reduction is that the LSRF used contacted point of lamina by lamina hook as the fulcrum, through the pedicle screw to pull the spondylolisthetic vertebrae, and reduce the anterior displacement of vertebrae. Conclusion LSRF gives rigid fixation and good reduction, and provides a new and effective method for lumbar spondylolysis and isthmic spondylolisthesis.

Objective To evaluate the long term outcome of spondylolytic spondylolisthesis treated with Steffee system and posterolateral fusion. Methods Thirty- four patients were followed up for an average of 77.2 months. The follow- up study include slipping percentage, slipping angle, heights of intervertebral space and foramen, fusion rate, screw broken rate and clinical outcomes. Results 1) Solid fusion was obtained in 88.2％ of patients. screw broken rate was 2.9％ . 2) Comparison of pre- and post- operative slip showed correction rate of 45.1％ . The heights of intervertebral space and foramen increased, slipping angle decreased. 3) During the period of follow- up, recurrence of deformity was found. 4) The subjective outcome was better than the objective outcome. Conclusion 1) Lumbar spondylolytic spondylolisthesis with radicular symptom need complete decompression and reduction as much as possible. 2) A positive slipping angle indicates significant shearing force and the need of an interbody fusion to restore the weight- bearing capacity. 3) Objective criteria is more suitable to evaluate surgical outcome.

Objective To evaluate the efficacy and safety of balloon kyphoplasty in the treatment of painful multi-vertebral osteoporotic compression fractures. Methods From October 2002 to April 2007, 42 patients (96 vertebrae) with painful multi-vertebral osteoporotic compression fractures underwent kyphoplasty. The group included 14 men and 28 women with an average age of 72.5 years (range 56-91 years). Each pro-cedure included insertion and insertion of balloon, fracture reduction and cement filling under "C"-arm monitoring. Preoperative and postoperative pain level, SF-36 score, vertebral height restoration, local kypho-sis correction and complications were recorded and analysed. Results All 42 patients tolerated the opera-tion well and were followed up for average 31.4 months (range 12-71 months). The mean VAS pain score decreased significantly from 7.1±2.4 preoperatively to 2.7±1.3 postoperatively, the mean height of anterior and medial vertebral body were (1.8±0.5) cm, (1.6±0.6) cm preoperatively and (2.3±0.6) cm, (2.2±0.7) cm postoperatively. No significant change of posterior vertebral height was recorded postoperatively.The mean correction of local kyphosis was 9.2°at each level. 6 of 8 subscahs measured by SF-36, including physical function, role function, bodily pain, vitality, role emotion, mental health, were significantly improved by the operation. Complications were found in 7 patients including 6 cases of cement leakage with no clinical symptoms (intradiscal cement leakage in two cases, paravertebral vessel leakage in two cases, paravertebral leakage in one case and cement leakage into canal in one case), and 1 case of pulmonary embelization with symptoms relieved after conservative treatment. Conclusion Kyphoplasty is effective and relatively safe for multi-vertebral osteoporotic compression fractures.

Objective To investigate the causes and clinical significance of cement leakage into disc space during kyphoplasty. Methods Since 2002, 178 patients with osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures underwent kypboplasty and 15 of them were detected intradiscal cement leakage and followed up more than 2 years (mean 2 years and 8 months). The mean injection of cement in these patients was 4.2ml.The series comprised 10 females and 5 males, with an average of 71.2 years old ( range, 54～84 years old).Visual analog scale was used to score back pain pre- and postoperatively. The height and MRI index of the involved disc were recorded and compared. Results The discs involved were as following: T10-11 for 4 cases,T11-12 for 1, T12L1for 4, L1-2 for 2, L2-3 for 3, L3-4 for 1. Cement leakage was detected in the disc above the fractured vertebrae in 10 cases, and in the disc below the fractured vertebrae in 5 patients. The back pain significantly alleviated and the average visual analog scale (VAS) score was decreased from 8.5±2.1 preoper-atively to 3.3±1.4 postoperatively (P< 0.05). The anterior disc height was (5.1±2.1)mm preoperatively and (4.8±1.9) mm at the final follow-up, the middle disc height was (7.4±3.2) mm preoperatively and (7.3±2.9) mm at the final follow-up, the posterior disc height was (4.9±2.5) mm preoperatively and (5.0±1.8) mm at fi-nal follow-up, the heights of intervertebral space were well maintained. The signal intensity decreased and became inconsistent in some discs, and the preoperative MRI index significantly decreased from 25482.4± 3467.5 to 18927.6±2519.4 at the final follow-up (t=1.967,P< 0.05). Conclusion Pain relief is impressive in patients with intradiseal cement leakage during kyphoplasty. However, cement leakage into disc space may accellerate the process of disc degeneration.