OBJECTIVETo investigate the mid-term outcome of operation for thoracolumbar tuberculosis. METHODS : Twenty-eight patiens with thoracolumbar tuberculosis underwent one stage anterior debridement,interbody fusion with bone graft and posterior pedicle screw internal fixation treatment from July 2006 to July 2011. There were 17 males and 11 females. Total 17 patients had nerve injuries ,including 6 cases of grade B, 5 cases of grade C, 6 cases of grade D according to Frankel classification. The poisoning symptoms of tuberculosis and recovery of spinal function were observed. The bone fusion and recovery of [umbar function were evaluated.

RESULTSAll the patients were followed up ,and the duration ranged from 39 to 85 months (mean 57 months). The clinical symptoms were controlled gradually, and the thoracolumbar back pain was alleviated after operation. Among the 17 patients with complications of nerve injuries, 3 patients were improved from preoperative grade B to postoperative grade D, 3 patients were improved from preoperative grade B to postopertive E, 5 patients with preoperative grade C and 6 patients with preoperative D were almostly recovered to normal after operation. According to JOA scoring system for curative effect evaluation, the excellent and good rate at the 3rd month, the 1st year, the 3rd year and the 5th year after operation were 67.86% ,82.14% ,85.71% ,89.29% and 91.30% respectively. The results at the 6th month and the 1st year had no statistical differences compared to the results at the 3rd month (P > 0.05); but the results at the 3rd year and the 5th year were better than that at 3 months after operation (P < 0.05); and the results between 3 yesrs and 5 years after operation had no statistical differences (P < O.05). The degeneration of adjacent segments were evaluated according to the California University (Universith of California at Los Angeles , UCLA) score. The degeneration rate was 53.57% (15/28) at the 3rd year after surgery, which was better than that before surgery. Twenty-three patients were followed up for 5 years ,and the degeneration rate was 86.96% (20/23) ,which was better than those of before surgery and 3 years after surgery.

CONCLUSIONThe surgical treatment for thoracolumbar spinal tuberculosis can achieve the thorough debridement, reconstruction of spinal stability, recovery of lumbar function and promote the functional recovery of the spinal cord, which is an effective method of treatment. However, the mid term follow-up showed that more severe degenerative changes were found in the postoperative adjacent segment.

Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Lumbar Vertebrae ; surgery ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Spinal Fusion ; methods ; Thoracic Vertebrae ; surgery ; Tuberculosis, Spinal ; physiopathology ; surgery

OBJECTIVETo evaluate biomechanical properties in different methods of internal fixation combined with distal tibiofibular syndesmosis injury, in order to provide a theoretical basis for clinical choice.

METHODSSix lower limbs specimens were collected and divided into 5 groups, including normal group, distal tibiofibular syndesmosis injury (injury group), 3 cortexes group, 4 cortexes group and hook-plate fixation group. Neutral position, plantar flexion position (30°), dorsiflexion (20°) supination external rotation position of foot movement were simulated on universal materials tester. Strength, stiffness and stability of ankle joint in 4 kinds of motion conditions were measured.

RESULTSThere was significant differences in strength and stiffness of ankle joint between injury group and normal group in 4 different kinds of motion conditions (P<0.05). Strength and stiffness of ankle joint in 3 cortexes group, 4 cortexes group and hook-plate fixation group were improved obviously in 4 different kinds of motion conditions, and biomechanical indexes were recovered normally or better than normal group. Stiffness of the three fixation groups were better than normal group,but there was no significant differences among three groups (P > 0.05), while stiffness of hook-plate fixation group was closed to normal group.

CONCLUSIONFor distal tibiofibular syndesmosis injury, 1 screw with 3 cortexes, 4 cortexes and hook-plate had a positive impact on strength, stiffness and stability of distal tibiofibular syndesmosis injury stress,and could restore the normal stabllity of ankle joint after reconstruction. While fixing by screw fixation would limit the rototary motion of ankle joint,ankle mortise could not adapt to changes of talus bone, thus induces screw breakage and traumatic arthritis. Hook-plate fixation is more suitable than 3 cortexes or 4 cortexes fixation for bilmechanical properties,and its' stress is more balance and can reduce postoperative complcations.

Ankle Injuries ; physiopathology ; surgery ; Biomechanical Phenomena ; Fibula ; injuries ; surgery ; Fracture Fixation, Internal ; methods ; Humans ; Joint Instability ; physiopathology ; prevention & control ; Reconstructive Surgical Procedures ; methods ; Tibia ; injuries ; surgery

Objective To investigate technical skills on outflow reconstruction in right lobe graft adult-adult living donor liver transplantation for avoiding of venous congestion. Methods The clinical data of 21 donors and recipients who underwent right lobe living donor liver transplantation were analyzed retrospectively. Donor's standard liver volume was between 1150. 1 and 1629. 8 cm3,graft weight was between 585 and 920 g, the ratio of graft volume to recipient's estimated standard liver volume (GV/ESLV) was between 43 % and 67 %, graft-recipient weight ratio (GRWR) was between 0. 82 % and 1.59 %, the ratio of remnant liver volume to donor's standard liver volume(RLV/SLV) was between 32 % and 55 %, all graft macrosteatosis was less than 10 %. For graftwith middle hepatic vein (MHV), a triangle large orifice was made by joining MHV to right hepatic vein (RHV), then anastomosed to recipient' s enlarged orifice of RHV. For graft without MHV, if tributary of MHV＞5 mm, autologous or allogenic blood vessel was used as interposition graft to connect to IVC, and if no large MHV tributary, graft RHV was anastomosed to IVC directly. Graft's right portal vein was anastomosed to main trunk of recipient's portal vein, graft's right hepatic artery to recipient's hepatic artery, and graft's right hepatic duct to recipient's right hepatic duct. Results Among the 21 right lobe grafts, 4 right lobe grafts had MHV, 17 right lobe grafts had no MHV.Autologous greater saphenous veins were adopted in 2 cases, cryopreserved iliac arteries were adopted in 5 cases, and RHV was anastomosed directly to IVC in 10 cases. Outflow was all patent in 7 cases having reconstruction of MHV tributaries one month after operation. One-year survival rate was 75 %, 85. 7 % and 70 % respectively in MHV group, MHV tributaries reconstructed group and RHV directly anastomosed to IVC group with the difference being not significance among these three groups (P＞0. 05). Biliary complications occurred in 7 cases during the follow-up period. One case developed small-for-size syndrome, which was cured by splenic artery embolization. No severe complication occurred in donors. All donors returned to normal life during a follow-up period of 6 to 31 months. Conclusion If outflow tract was reconstructed properly, right lobe graft without MHV has equivalent clinical outcomes to right lobe graft with MHV. Using of autologous or allogenic blood vessel as interposition vessel graft for right lobe graft without MHV is an effective modality to prevent hepatic congestion and secure functional graft volume to meet recipients metabolic demand.

Objective To review the techniques used in biliary reconstruction for adult-adult living donor liver transplantation using a right lobe graft. Methods The clinical data of 21 pairs of donor and recipient who underwent right lobe living donor liver transplantation from April 2007 to May 2009 at Beijing Youan Hospital were analyzed retrospectively. Biliary anastomoses consisted of 10 single right hepatic duct to common hepatic duct anastomoses, 5 donor double branched ducts to recipient double branched ducts anastomoses, 5 single anastomoses between a donor double branched duct which had been converted to a single duct by ductoplasty to a single recipient bile duct, and 1 hepaticojejunostomy. A T-tube was inserted through the anterior wall of the common hepatic duct and splinted across the anastomosis in 2 recipients and a Y-tube was used in 1 recipient. Results 4 recipients died during the first post-transplant month. Another recipient received a retransplantation for acute liver necrosis. The remaining recipients were alive. The 1-year survival rate of the recipients was 77.65 %.5 patients developed biliary leakage and 2 patients developed biliary stricture. The 7 biliary complications were treated and cured by further surgical procedures. There was no significant difference in the biliary complications among the three different types of biliary anastomotic groups (x2 = 0. 659,P=0. 719). Conclusion The different types of biliary anastomoses can be used in living donor liver transplantation depending on the situations found in the donors and recipients. Continuous suturing on the posterior wall of the bile duct, interrupted suturing on the anterior wall and microsurgical techniques in biliary reconstruction are effective modalities to minimize biliary complications.

Adult ; Aged ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology ; Female ; Humans ; Liver Neoplasms ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies ; Ultrasonography

OBJECTIVETo compare the clinical outcomes between two different methods in the treatment of Bennett fractures.

METHODSFrom May 2005 to June 2009, 31 patients with Bennett fractures were treated with gypsum and percutaneous fragment pin fixation. In gypsum fixation group,there were 17 cases including 12 males and 5 females with an average age of (43.9-5.7) years; according to Buechler classification: 3 cases were I region fracture, 11 cases were II region fracture, 3 cases were III region fracture. In percutaneous fragment pin fixation group,there were 14 cases including 8 males and 6 females with an average age of (45.6 +/- 6.1) years; according to Buechler classification: 3 cases were I region fracture, 9 cases were II region fracture and 2 cases were II region fracture. The observing and comparing items of the two groups included: (1) length of stay, time of fracture healing,failure of fixation; (2) postoperative radiographs comparison according to method of Kjaer-Petersen; (3) cannon scores used for outcome measurement.

RESULTSAll the patients in the two groups were followed up, the duration ranged from 6 to 15 months,with an average of (9.0 +/- 3.5) months. The length of stay were (7.0 +/- 2.5) d in gypsum fixation group and (9.0 +/- 3.9) d in percutaneous fragment pin fixation group with statistically significant differences (P < 0.05). The postoperative reduction quality according to method of Kjaer-Petersen, in gypsum fixation group:4 patients got an excellent result, 8 good and 5 poor; in percutaneous fragment pin fixation group,the above data were 8, 6 and 0 respectively;there were statistically significant differences (P < 0.05 ) between the two groups. The time of fracture healing were (6.0 +/- 0.5) weeks in gypsum fixation group and (6.0 +/- 1.9) weeks in percutaneous fragment pin fixation group with no statistically significant differences (P > 0.05). Cannon scores were evaluated at postoperative 3 months,in gypsum fixation group: 6 patients got an excellent result, 8 good and 3 fair; in percutaneous fragment pin fixation group,the above data were 8, 5 and 1 respectively; there were no statistically significant differences (P > 0.05) between two groups. Two patients had fracture re-displacement in gypsum fixation group, and no failure cases in percutaneous fragment pin fixation group.

CONCLUSIONThere are satisfied therapeutic effects in two different methods for the treatment of Bennett fractures. However, gypsum fixation has advantage of easy to operate and atraumatic, but unstability and easy to displacement; percutaneous fragment pin fixation has advantage of fixed solidly and better in functional rehabilitation, but big in surgical trauma and long in length of stay.

Adult ; Case-Control Studies ; External Fixators ; Female ; Fracture Fixation ; methods ; Fractures, Bone ; surgery ; Humans ; Internal Fixators ; Male ; Metacarpal Bones ; injuries ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies

OBJECTIVETo analyze the un-healing cause and management after operation of thoracolumbar tuberculosis.

METHODSFrom January 2008 to December 2011, the data of 12 patients with postoperative un-healing thoracolumbar tuberculosis were retrospectively analyzed. There were 5 males and 7 females, with an average age of 51.3 years old (ranged, 42 to 65). All the patients occurred different degree of vertebral destruction, abscess-formation, kyphosis and nerve functional injury at the first operation. Among them, 11 patients underwent debridement and fusion with autogenous iliac bone grafting and internal fixation, 1 patient underwent debridement and fusion with autogenous iliac bone grafting. At 2-6 months after operation, internal fixation loosening, fusion failure, abscess-ormation, or erythrocyte sedimentation rate increasing occurred in the patients. For the patients to adjust anti-tuberculosis scheme, 2 patients were treated with puncture to multiple abscess combining with rifampicin local injection; 10 patients were reoperated with debridement and internal fixation adjusting.

RESULTSAt 1-2.5 years (mean 1.8 years) after follow-up, 9 cases were cured finally. Re-admission had 3 cases because of re-occurred erythrocyte sedimentation rate increasing and abscess-formation at the 2-4 months after operation, whose bacterial culture showed more than 2 kinds of drug fast, and the treatment effect was still not ideal after adjusting anti-tuberculosis scheme.

CONCLUSIONInsufficient anti-tuberculosis and bad nutritional status before operation,incomplete debridement and unreasonable fixation style during operation, inadequate drainage, irregular anti-tuberculosis and drug fast of Bacillus tuberculosis after operation are main reasons leading to un-healing of tuberculosis. Therefore, actively improving malnutrition, making individual operation plan before operation, ensuring complete debridement, rebuilding spinal stability, removing the compression of spinal cord, combining with postoperative effective, enough, regular combination chemotherapy are important guarantee to cure of spinal tuberculosis.

Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Fracture Fixation, Internal ; Humans ; Lumbar Vertebrae ; surgery ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Reoperation ; Retrospective Studies ; Thoracic Vertebrae ; surgery ; Treatment Outcome ; Tuberculosis, Spinal ; surgery

OBJECTIVETo study therapeutic effects of self-designed canal decompressor in the posterior surgical treatment of thoracolumbar burst fractures, and provide evidence for widespread application.

METHODSFrom January 2008 to December 2008, the self-designed canal decompressor was used in 43 patients (30 males and 13 females, ranging in age from 22 to 49 years) with thoracolumbar burst fractures. According to Denis classification, there were 12 cases of type A, 24 cases of type B, 6 cases of type D and 1 case of type E. Affected segment: 16 patients in T12,19 patients in L1 and 8 patients in L2. The index of intra-operative blood loss, postoperative 24 h wound drainage volume, and operative time were compared with those of 16 patients who undergone traditional operation. The preoperative and postoperative vertebral canal volume, Cobb angles, residual vertebral body height, neurological outcome, and back pain were evaluated and compared.

RESULTSAll the patients healed without wound infection, neurological symptoms and other complications. Forty-three patients were followed up ranging from 12 to 24 months, with a mean of (16.5 +/- 2.5) months. Compared with traditional posterior operation, the blood loss and operative time in modified posterior approach group had statistically significant difference, but the postoperative 24 h wound drainage had no significant difference between the two groups. CT scan indicated that applying the canal decompressor allowed efficient restore of canal volume from preoperative (49.4 +/- 16.7)% to postoperative (12.8 +/- 4.2)%. The X-ray showed Cobb angles reduced from preoperative (30.1 +/- 2.4)degrees to postoperative (5.1 +/- 0.6) degrees. Mean vertebral height was restored to (81.5 +/- 5.5)% after operation. Follow-up evaluation indicated that neurological recovery presented in 33 patients,with an average improvement of 0.87 Frankel grades. Neurological deterioration was not observed.

CONCLUSIONApplying the canal decompressor enables efficient and safe spinal decompression, restore the height of the injured vertebrae, reconstruction of the anterior-middle column stability,and prevention of postoperative vertebral height and Cobb angle lost.

Adult ; Case-Control Studies ; Decompression, Surgical ; methods ; Female ; Humans ; Lumbar Vertebrae ; injuries ; surgery ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Spinal Fractures ; surgery ; Thoracic Vertebrae ; injuries ; surgery

This paper aims to establish an accurate finite element model of complete lumbar spine with complex lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS), and then to do comparison and analysis of normal model and decompression surgery model. Firstly, we chose some patients with complex LSS and then collected the CT scanned data. Then we generated a complete FE model of Lumbar with complex LSS using a specially designed modeling system, and we also created a normal lumbar model and a decompression treated model. We applied same boundary conditions in all the three models. The results showed that the active movement range of complex LSS was smaller than that of the normal model, but the movement range of the decompression model was larger than that of the normal. There are stress concentration around the endplate and disk at the degenerative intervertebral? disk L4-L5 and adjacent disk L3-L4 for LSS model, and the stress of the decompression model increased more significantly. This simulation demonstrated that the treatment of simple decompression for lumbar spine with complex LSS can release the pain, but may result in unstability and accelerate the degeneration.
Decompression, Surgical ; methods ; Finite Element Analysis ; Humans ; Lumbar Vertebrae ; surgery ; Models, Biological ; Spinal Stenosis ; surgery

Objective To study the effect of the petroleum ether fraction of ethanol extracts of Polyrhachisvicina Roger with antigout activity on liver microsomal cytochrome P450 in rats.Methods Healthy male SD rats were randomly divided into six groups (3 rats of each group):three groups of the petroleum ether fraction of ethanol extracts of Polyrhachisvi-cina Roger ( test groups, the low dose group, the middle dose group and the high dose group with equivalent to 1, 2, 4 g? kg -1, respectively), two positive control groups and one blank control group.The rats in the low dose, the middle dose and the high dose test groups were adminis-tered daily by gavage at corresponding dose of the petroleum ether frac-tion of ethanol extracts of Polyrhachisvicina Roger for 10 consecutive days.The rats in positive control groups were treated by dexamethasone ( 100 mg? kg-1? d-1 , ip, daily for 4 days ) or phenobarbital ( 80 mg? kg-1? d-1 , ip, daily for 3 days ) .Blank control rats received equivalent volume of sterile normal saline daily by gavage for 10 consecu-tive days.The levels of CYP450 activity, mRNA, protein in rat liver mi-crosome were analyzed by LC/MS/MS or RP-HPLC-FLD, RT-PCR, Western blot, respectively.Results CYP1A2 activity, protein expression and mRNA levels were increased signifi-cantly in a dose-dependent manner with the petroleum ether fraction of ethanol extracts of Polyrhachisvicina Roger at low, middle and high dose, respectively.Conclusion The petroleum ether fraction of ethanol extracts of Polyrhachis-vicina Roger can induce CYP1A2 in rats, suggesting the potential of drug-drug interactions between the petroleum ether fraction of ethanol extracts of Polyrhachisvicina Roger and the inducers, inhibitors, or substrates of CYP1A2.