Objective:To analyze the curative effect of discectomy under Quadrant expandable channel associated with annulus repair for the treatment of adolescent lumbar disc herniation (ALDH).Methods:10 ALDH patients received discectomy under Quadrant expandable channel associated with annulus repair (annulus repair group) and 12 patients received discectomy (control group) in Clinical Medical College of Yangzhou University from January 2013 to December 2017 were retrospectively collected. The length of skin incision, amount of intraoperative bleeding, operation time and duration of hospitalization were compared. The degree of pain was assessed by visual analogue scale (VAS) before operation, 24 h, 1 week and 1 year after operation, and the lumbar function was assessed by Oswestry disability index (ODI) before operation, 1 week and 1 year after operation. At the last follow-up, the curative effect was evaluated by MacNab Scale, and the recurrence of lumbar disc herniation during the follow-up was recorded.Results:There were no significant differences in the amount of intraoperative bleeding, operation time and duration of hospitalization between the two groups ( P>0.05). The skin incision length of the annulus repair group was less than that of control group ( P<0.05). The postoperative VAS score and ODI score at each follow up time point in both groups were significantly improved when compared with the preoperative ones ( P<0.05). There were no statistically significant difference between the two groups in the VAS score and ODI score 1 week postoperative and 1 year postoperative ( P>0.05). According to the MacNab criteria, there was no statistically significant difference between the two groups in the excellent and good rate (annulus repair group: 9/10, control group: 10/12; P>0.05). There was no recurrence case in the annulus repair group, but two cases of recurrence (one recovered by conservative treatment, the other needed second operation) in the control group ( P<0.05). Conclusions:Discectomy under Quadrant expandable channel associated with annulus repair can achieve early satisfied outcome, reduce surgery related trauma, pain in the early period postoperative and recurrence rate after operation in the treatment of ALDH.

BACKGROUND: Conventional means in treatment of distal tibiofibular syndesmosis disruption include plaster cast or splint immobilization as external fixation and internal fixation using screws, and bone bolts or plates;however, some disadvantages such as unstable fixation and uncertain fixation exist.OBJECTIVE: To observe the primary clinical curative effect of newly self-developed fixation, Hook-plate fixation (HPF), for distal tibiofibular syndesmosis disruption and its biochemical characteristics of HPF.DESIGN: Self-control observation.PARTICIPANTS: We recruited 23 patients with sustaining abruption of lower tibiofibular ligament union with fibular fracture who received treatment in the Department of Orthopedics, Affiliated Hospital of Yangzhou University Medical College, between October 2001 and March 2004. According to the Lauge-Hansen classification system, there were 11 cases of supination-lateral rotations, 7 cases of pronation-lateral rotations and 5cases of pronation-abductions. Among them 14 had bimalleolar fractures and 9 had trimalleolar fractures.METHODS: HPF was used on the 23 patients with distal tibiofibular syndesmosis disruption. Radiographs were taken routinely. Talocrural joint function exercise was recommended at week 1 and partial weight bearing was allowed 2 months later. Functions were evaluated according to modified Mazur's criteria (excellent, good, fair and poor).MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: ①Healing time and function ev aluation after operation for distal tibiofibular syndesmosis disruption. ② Adverse events and side effectsRESULTS: Totally 23 patients entered the result analysis, with the mean of 11 months' follow-up. ①Results of healing time and function evaluation in the patients after operation for distal tibiofibular syndesmosis disruption: The healing time of fracture ranged from 12 to 18 weeks: 16 cases were excellent, 5 good, and 2 fair. ② Adverse events and side effects:There was no separation of the tibiofibular space, the distance between medial malleolus or lateral malleolus and anklebone was symmetrical.There was no mobilization or rupture of the internal fixation after operation.CONCLUSION: HPF is applied in treating distal tibiofibular syndesmosis disruption. It causes no postoperative complications, and can recover the ankle joint function with stable internal fixation and good biomechanical features.

Objective To study the clinical features and surgical strategies of thoracic spinal stenosis caused by ossification of posterior longitudinal ligament(OPLL).Methods From January 2004 to March 2009,21 cases of thoracic spinal stenosis casued by OPLL,including 13 males and 8 females,received surgical treatments.Those cases aged from 34 to 71 years,with an average of 51.2 years old.The courses of disease were from 2 to 50 months,averaged 11 months.The lesions located in upper thoracic(T1-T4)for 4 cases,in middle thoracic(T5-T8)for 7 cases,in lower thoracic(T9-T12)for 10 cases.Nine cases were associated with ossification of ligamentum flavum(OLF),and 8 cases combined with cervical OPLL.Eleven cases received laminectomy and 10 cases received anterolateral decompression.Results The operation time was 90 to 240 min for posterior laminectomy with an average of 140 min,and 110 to 360 min for anterolateral decompression with an average of 240 min.All cases had no worse postoperative symptoms,neurological complications,subarachnoid cavity or wound infection.Japanese Orthopaedic Association(JOA)score was 8 to 15 with an average of 9.17±1.63 in 6 months after surgery.Nerve function improvement was excellent for 8 cases,good for 6 cases,fair for 5 cases and poor for 2 cases.The excellent and good rate was 66.7%.JOA score was 8-15,averaged 10.23±1.64,in 12 months after surgery.Nerve function improvement was excellent for 8 cases,good for 7 cases,fair for 4 cases,and poor for 2 cases.The excellent and good rate was 71.4%.Conclusion Thoracic spinal stenosis result from OPLL,which often combine with cervical OPLL and OLF,often show multiple manifestations.Posterior laminectomy and anterolateral decompression are suitable for those conditions.

BACKGROUND:Statins can promote the mRNA expression of bone morphogenetic protein 2, aggrecan and type II col agen in intervertebral disc cel s, and they also can reverse the phenotype of dedifferentiated nucleus pulposus cel s to slow disc degeneration process. OBJECTIVE:To review the research progress of simvastatin modulating the biological characteristics and mobilizing endogenous stem cel s for the repair of intervertebral disc degeneration. METHODS:The first author retrieved the PubMed and CNKI databases for relevant articles published before January 2016 using the key words of“disc degeneration factor, Simvastatin AND stem cel s, endogenous stem cel s AND disc degeneration”in English and Chinese, respectively. Initial y, 102 relevant articles were retrieved, but only 48 articles were included in result analysis fol owing elimination of duplicate studies.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:By summarizing a large number of studies on the treatment of intervertebral disc degeneration worldwide, we found that simvastatin may modulate the biological characteristics and function of nucleus pulposus mesenchymal stem cel s via promoting the expression of hypoxia-inducible factor 1αfor the endogenous stem cel-based therapy of intervertebral disc degeneration.

Objective To explore the surgical strategies of thoracic spinal stenosis with dural ossification. Methods One-hundred and eight patients with thoracic spinal stenosis were treated. Dural ossification was found in 29 cases during operation from January 2004 to June 2008. There were 19 males and 10females, with an average age of 56.4 years (42-74 years). The course of disease was 13 months (2-48months). The lesion was located in T1-T4 in 4 cases, T5-T8 in 5 cases, and T9-T12 in 20 cases. All the patients were treated by posterior lamina resection. Both ossificated dural and ossificated yellow ligament were resected in 16 patients. Decompression was performed with partial ossification remaining on dural surface in 13 cases. JOA score was used to evaluate the outcomes 1, 3 and 12 months after operation. Results The average operation time was 140 min, and average bleeding was 300 ml. Dural incisions were repaired with a wound drainage in 11 cases. Seven cases appeared cerebrospinal fluid leakage which healed in 3-5 days.Dural incisions were not repaired without wound drainage in 5 cases. Cerebrospinal fluid leakage occurred in these cases healed in 5-7 days. Thirteen cases treated with floating method did not appear cerebrospinal fluid leakage. All patients did not undergo subarachnoid infection and the aggravation of original nervous system symptoms. According to JOA score, all patients were evaluated as excellent in 22 cases, good in 5 and fair in 2 cases, and excellent and good rate was 93%. Conclusion For thoracic spinal stenosis with dural ossification, resection of both ossificated dural and ossificated yellow ligament and complete decompression with partial ossification remaining on dural surface is safe and reliable. Dural ossification does not influence the prognosis, but increase operative difficulty and risk.

BACKGROUND:L-type calcium channels, as a kind of voltage-dependent calcium channel, is the main way of extracellular calcium ions into the cell, and play an important role in maintaining cellmorphology and physiological activities, characterized by a large single-channel conductance, slow channel attenuation, and longer duration of channel opening. Previous studies showed that basic fibroblast growth factor can promote the proliferation of chondrocytes cultured in vitro.
OBJECTIVE:To explore the effect of the L-type calcium channels on regulating chondrocyte proliferation and differentiation in response to basic fibroblast growth factor with patch-clamp.
METHODS:The chondrocytes were harvested from the joints of 3-day-old New Zealand rabbits. The second passage of chondrocytes was divided into experimental group and control group. Chondrocytes were incubated in media containing 10μg/L basic fibroblast growth factor and media alone separately. The opening of L-type calcium channels under the action of basic fibroblast growth factor was detected by patch-clamp. The intracellular calcium concentration was detected with laser confocal microscopy in the chondrocytes after 2 weeks of culture with basic fibroblast growth factor. Chondrocyte proliferation was analyzed by cellTiter kit after 8 days of culture. Type Ⅱ col agen was assessed quantitatively by immunohistochemistrical staining after 10 days of culture.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Basic fibroblast growth factor has an inhibitory effect on the opening of the L-type calcium channels, resulting in a decrease in intracellular free calcium concentration (P<0.01). cellnumber was higher after culture with basic fibroblast growth factor than that cultured under conventional condition (P<0.01), and staining area of type II col agen significantly increased (P<0.05). Results verified that basic fibroblast growth factor can maintain intracellular Ca2+concentration at a low level by inhibiting the opening of L-type calcium channels, which can promote the proliferation and differentiation of chondrocytes.

BACKGROUND:Vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty have been widely applied in the treatment of osteoporotic thoracolumbar compression fracture. However, cement leakage is a major problem in the application of this technology, especial y for the vertebral posterior wal ruptured patients. OBJECTIVE:To investigate the therapeutic efficacy of high viscosity bone cement and vertebroplasty in the treatment of osteoporotic thoracolumbar compression fracture. METHODS:A retrospective study was conducted in 20 cases receiving high viscosity bone cement and vertebroplasty surgery for osteoporotic thoracolumbar compression fracture. Clinical outcomes were evaluated mainly with use of Visual Analog Scale for lower back pain. Function of lower back pain was assessed using Oswestry Disability Index questionnaire. Quality of life was evaluated using 36-Item Short Form Health Survey and Frankel score was applied to evaluate neurological function. The anterior vertebral height of the fractured vertebrae was assessed with X-ray. The bone cement leakage, pulmonary embolism, incidence of nearby vertebral fractures and other complications were evaluated during fol ow-up. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Al patients were fol owed up for 12-18 months. The anterior vertebral height of the fractured vertebrae, the lower back pain and function, and quality of life were improved significantly after treatment (P<0.05). Al patients got the same neurological symptoms before surgery. The bone cement dispersion was good after treatment, detected by X-ray and CT scan, only two cases appeared with bone cement leakage, but no clinical symptoms were found. There was no cement toxicity or al ergic complications, pulmonary embolism, infection, nerve injury or new fractures. The high viscosity bone cement used in the treatment of osteoporotic thoracolumbar vertebral compression fractures can significantly relieve thoracic back pain, improve lower back function and quality of life, and greatly reduce the risk of bone cement leakage.

Objective:To investigate the effects of allicin on the proliferation, migration and angiogenesis of rat vascular endothelial cells (RVES), and to explore the influencing mechanism of allicin on epidural fibrosis.Methods:According to the results of preliminary experiments, RVECs were divided into control group (0 mg/L), low concentration group (25 mg/L), medium concentration group (50 mg/L) and high concentration group (100 mg/L). The morphology, viability, migration rate, cell cycle, apoptosis rate and cell lumen formation ability were measured using fluorescence microscope, AnnexinV-FITC double staining, PI/RN-asestaining, scratch assay and Transwell experiments test. Western Blot was used to measure the protein expression level of JAK2, STAT3, p-STAT3, PCNA, Bax and Bcl-2 protein. Using random number method, 36 adult male SD rats were divided into sham operation group, saline group and allicin group, with 12 rats in each group. Hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining, Masson staining and immunohistochemical staining were used to analysis the epidural fibrosis in each group.Results:With the increase of concentration of allicin, cell viability, cell migration and lumen formation ability significantly lower than that of control group ( P<0.05). With the increase of allicin concentration, the percentage of cells in the G1 and S phases gradually decreased ( P<0.05), the percentage of cells in the G2 phase and the apoptosis rate gradually increased ( P<0.05), and the cells were blocked in the G2/M phase. With the increase of allicin concentration, the protein expression levels of JAK2, STAT3, p-STAT3, PCNA and Bcl-2 were gradually down-regulated ( P<0.05), while the protein expression level of Bax was gradually up-regulated ( P<0.05), the ratio of p-STAT3/STAT3 was decreased ( P<0.05), and the ratio of Bax/Bcl-2 was increased ( P<0.05). There was no death, infection or abnormal gait in all the experimental animals. Dense scar tissue could be observed in the extradural area of the sham operation group and the epidural area of the control group, but there was obvious space between the epidural scar and the dura mater in the allicin group, and the density of collagen, the number of blood vessels, and the protein density of p-STAT3 were significantly lower than those in the control group ( P<0.05). Conclusion:Allicin inhibits angiogenesis and the severity of epidural scar after laminectomy, and the mechanism may be through inhibiting the JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway of vascular endothelial cells.

BACKGROUND: Percutaneous vertebroplasty has been gradual y used to treat Kümmel disease because of less trauma and quick pain relief, but there is stil a high rate of bone cement leakage. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the clinical efficacy of percutaneous vertebroplasty with high-viscosity bone cement plus hyperextension position reset for treatment of Kümmel ’s disease. METHODS: The clinical data of 17 patients with Kümmel ’s disease were retrospectively analyzed, including 5 males and 12 females, aged 55-83 years, and al underwent percutaneous vertebroplasty with high-viscosity bone cement plus hyperextension position reset. The visual analog scale, Oswestry disability index score, vertebral body height and vertebral kyphosis angle were determined. The bone cement leakage, pulmonary embolism, adjacent vertebral fractures and other complications were recorded. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: At the 12th Oswestry disability index scores and vertebral kyphosis angle of patients were significantly lower than those before treatment (P < 0.05), the vertebral body height was significantly higher than that before month of follow-up, the visual analog scale scores, treatment (P < 0.05). After treatment, there were three cases of bone cement leakage, which had no special discomfort and neurological symptoms, and one case of new fractures. These results demonstrate that hyperextension position reset combined with percutaneous vertebroplasty with high-viscosity bone cement in treatment of Kümmel ’s disease can effectively relieve back pain, improve function of the lower back, partial y restore vertebral height and reduce kyphosis angle.

Objective To compare the clinical outcomes of dilator-kyphoplasty (DKP) and balloonkyphoplasty (BKP) in treatment of osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures. Methods From May 2007 to March 2009, 23 cases with 26 vertebrae were treated with DKP, while 29 cases with 29 vertebrae were treated with BKP procedures. The operating time, bleeding volume and injecting volume of cement were recorded during operation. The distribution of cement, the restoration of vertebral height and Cobb angle were observed. The patients' visual analogue scales (VAS) score and Oswestry disability index (ODI) score were evaluated after operation. Results There were no differences in operative time, bleeding volume of every vertebrae and cement injected volume between these two groups (P＞0.05). The vertebral height, Cobb angle, VAS and ODI scores were significantly improved than those of pre-operation in these two groups (P＜0.05). The height of the anterior vertebrae and Cobb angle in DKP groups were restored significantly than those in BKP groups (P＜ 0.05). There were 1 case (1 vertebra, 3.8%) underwent cement leakage in DKP groups and 5 cases (5 vertebrae, 17.2%) in BKP groups. Conclusion DKP and BKP were effective in the treatment of osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures. The height of the anterior vertebrae and Cobb angle in DKP groups were restored significantly than those in BKP groups.