Objective:To evaluate the efficacy of posterior subtotal vertebrectomy in the treatment of thoracolumbar vertebral refractures after vertebroplasty.Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted in the 28 patients with refracture after percutaneous vertebroplasty(PVP) or percutaneous kyphoplasty(PKP) who had been treated at Department of Spinal Surgery, Henan Provincial People's Hospital from June 2017 to October 2019. They were 7 males and 21 females, with an average age of 62.4 years(from 61 to 76 years). A total of 28 vertebrae were involved, including 5 T11s, 9 T12s, 11 L1s and 3 L2s. Their previous operations were PKP in 17 cases and PVP in 11. After the spinous process, vertebral plate, articular process and transverse process were resected by posterior approach, the vertebral body, bone cement and upper and lower intervertebral discs were partially resected by trans-vertebral lateral approach. At the same time, nerve decompression was performed. Finally, the inter-vertebral support was fixated followed by the posterior screw-rod orthopedic fixation. The operation time and intraoperative bleeding volume were recorded. The cobb angles of kyphosis were compared on the X-ray films of the whole spine between preoperation and the last follow-up to evaluate correction. Functional improvement of the spine was evaluated by comparison of the visual analogue scale (VAS) and JOA(Japanese Orthopedics Association) scores between preoperation and the last follow-up.Results:The operation time averaged 182.1 min and intraoperative bleeding volume 996.2 mL. All the 28 patients were followed up for 8 to 29 months (mean, 19.8 months). No obvious neurological lesions or other serious complications were observed. The cobb angle was improved from preoperative 41.3°±10.3° to 6.4°±2.5° at the last follow-up, the VAS score from preoperative 7.3±1.8 to 2.5±1.0 at the last follow-up, and the JOA score from preoperative 8.4±2.3 to 21.3±2.5 at the last follow-up, showing a significant difference in all the comparisons ( P<0.05). Conclusion:The posterior subtotal vertebrectomy is effective for thoracolumbar vertebral refractures after vertebroplasty because it can remove bone cement, decompress the spinal canal, fuse the inter-vertebral graft and reconstruct the spinal stability in one stage.

Objective:To compare the effect of O-arm assisted and free-hand pedicle screw placement in the treatment of AO type C thoracolumbar fracture.Methods:A retrospective cohort study was used to analyze the clinical data of 34 patients with type C thoracolumbar fracture admitted to Henan Provincial People′s Hospital from January 2018 to June 2021, including 23 males and 11 females; aged 42-63 years [(50.4±7.4)years]. The fracture was located at T 11 in 4 patients, T 12 in 10, L 1 in 12, L 2 in 6, T 11~12/L 1 in 1 and T 12/L 1 in 1. Posterior reduction and internal fixation was carried out for all patients, of whom 18 were treated with O-arm assisted pedicle screw placement (navigation group) and 16 with free-hand pedicle screw placement (free-hand group). The operation time, single screw placement time, intraoperative bleeding volume, operation mode and screw placement accuracy were compared between the two groups. The kyphotic Cobb angle, visual analogue score (VAS) and American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) score were compared between the two groups before operation, at 1 week after operation, at 3 months after operation and at the last follow-up. Postoperative complications were observed. Results:All patients were followed up for 12-29 months [(16.8±6.1)months]. There was no significant difference between the two groups in the operation time, intraoperative bleeding volume and operation mode (all P>0.05). The single screw placement time was (9.4±1.6)minutes in navigation group, but was (10.8±1.5)minutes in free-hand group ( P<0.05). The screw placement accuracy was 97.4% in navigation group, but was 81.5% in free-hand group ( P<0.01). The kyphotic Cobb angle and VAS had no significant differences between the two groups before operation (all P>0.05). The kyphotic Cobb angle in navigation group and free-hand group was (4.3±1.1)° and (5.9±1.1)° at 1 week after operation, (4.4±1.2)° and (5.7±1.3)° at 3 months after operation, and (4.4±1.2)° and (6.8±0.9)° at the last follow-up, decreased significantly from that before operation [(21.8±3.1)°, (22.2±3.2)°] (all P<0.01). The kyphotic Cobb angle in navigation group was significantly lower than that in free-hand group at 1 week, 3 months after operation and at the last follow-up (all P<0.01). The VAS in navigation group and free-hand group was (3.2±0.7)points and (4.1±0.7)points at 1 week after operation, (2.4±0.6)points and (3.0±0.8)points at 3 months after operation, and (1.8±0.9)points and (2.6±0.7)points at the last follow-up, decreased significantly from that before operation [(8.4±0.8)points, (8.3±0.9)points] (all P<0.01). The VAS in navigation group was significantly lower than that in free-hand group at 1 week, 3 months after operation and at the last follow-up (all P<0.01). The ASIA score showed no significant difference within and between the two groups before operation, at 1 week, 3 months after operation and at the last follow-up (all P>0.05). Postoperative incision infection occurred in 1 patient in both groups ( P>0.05). Implant failure such as loosening or displacement was not observed in navigation group, and only occurred in 2 patients in free-hand group ( P>0.05). Conclusion:Compared with free-hand pedicle screw placement, O-arm assisted pedicle screw placement in the treatment of AO type C thoracolumbar fracture has advantages of rapid and accurate screw placement, good reduction and notable pain relief.

Intelligence, precision, and minimally invasive are the directions for the future development of spinal surgery, as well as the requirements put forward by social development for spinal surgery. Robot-assisted spinal surgery came into being. At present, the spinal robot surgery system is mainly used to assist in the placement of pedicle screws. This article provides an overview of the history and classification, advantages and limitations, precision and safety of spinal robot assisted nail placement, key technologies for applying spinal robots, X-ray radiation exposure, learning curve and cost-benefit analysis, expanded applications of spinal robots, and future technologies. This review mainly introduces the current status of robot research and proposes the future development of spine robots. Robot assisted autonomous screw placement, laminectomy decompression, tumor biopsy and resection, intelligent planning of screw placement for osteoporosis patients, soft tissue recognition and feedback, and establishment of minimally invasive surgical channels are higher requirements for robot-assisted spinal surgery. The further development of spinal robot can play its advantages of precision, stability and minimally invasive in cervical vertebra, spinal pelvic fixation, spinal tumor, spinal deformity surgery, etc., while improving surgical efficiency and cost benefit.

Objective:To explore the feasibility and clinical efficacy of prone transpsoas lateral interbody fusion (PTP LIF) combined with posterior pedicle screw fixation for the treatment of lumbar degenerative diseases in the prone position.Methods:A total of 23 patients who underwent LLIF in the prone position at the First People's Hospital of Yunnan Province between March 2023 and October 2023 were retrospectively analyzed. The cohort comprised 9 males and 14 females, with a mean age of 55.5±8.8 years (range, 41-70 years). The clinical diagnoses included intervertebral disc herniation with endplate inflammation (3 cases), lumbar spinal stenosis (13 cases), lumbar spondylolisthesis (5 cases), and lumbar instability (2 cases). The surgical segments involved L 3, 4 (15 cases), L 4, 5 (6 cases), and L 3-L 5 (2 cases), with 21 cases involving a single segment and 2 cases involving double segments. The disc height and lumbar lordosis Angle before and after surgery were compared. Lower back pain was evaluated using the visual analogue scale (VAS), while lumbar spine function was assessed via the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI). Clinical efficacy was evaluated according to the modified MacNab criteria at the last follow-up. Results:All surgeries were successfully completed. The operation time was 120.2±21.4 min (range, 90-175 min), intraoperative blood loss was 131.1±40.8 ml (range, 60-200 ml), and the hospital stay was 6.2±1.6 days (range, 4-10 days). Follow-up was obtained for all 23 cases, with the follow-up time being 9.6±2.2 months (range, 6-13 months). One case of endplate damage occurred during surgery, two cases of transient psoas muscle weakness occurred postoperatively, and one case of lower limb pain and numbness was reported; no cases of wound infection or delayed healing were observed. The postoperative disc height improved compared to preoperative (6.8±1.9 mm; F=66.618, P<0.001). There was no statistically significant difference between 3 months postoperative (11.1±1.2 mm) and immediately postoperative (12.2±1.2 mm; P>0.05), but there was a statistically significant difference between the last follow-up (10.7±1.1 mm) and immediately postoperative ( P<0.05). The postoperative lumbar lordosis angle improved compared to preoperative (35.3°±5.4°; F=19.465, P<0.001), with no statistically significant difference between 3 months postoperative (44.1°±5.4°) and immediately postoperative (47.8°±6.6°; P>0.05), but there was a statistically significant difference between the last follow-up (43.2°±5.3°) and immediately postoperative ( P<0.05). The postoperative VAS score improved compared to preoperative (6.3±1.1 points; F=79.931, P<0.001), and the last follow-up (1.1±1.1 points) showed further improvement compared to 3 months postoperative (1.7±1.4 points; P<0.05). The postoperative ODI improved compared to preoperative (69.9%±7.4%; F=592.392, P<0.001), with 3 months postoperative (23.1%±3.1%) showing improvement compared to 1 month postoperative (29.2%±3.1%), and the last follow-up (17.5%±3.6%) showing further improvement compared to 3 months postoperative ( P<0.05). At the last follow-up, the modified MacNab criteria were: excellent in 16 cases, good in 5, fair in 2, with an excellent and good rate of 91% (21/23); 7 cases of cage subsidence were observed, with no cases of internal fixation loosening. Conclusion:PTP LIF combined with pedicle screw fixation for the treatment of lumbar degenerative diseases is safe and effective, with satisfactory short-term postoperative outcomes.