Objective To analyze the clinical features and the correlation between radiographic parameters and incidence of calcaneal spur in the patients from Nanfang Hospital,Southern Medical University,China.Methods Three experienced observers independently used the image acquisition and transmission system (PACS) to collect the data of lateral and axial X-ray images of calcaneus or ankle joint in neutral position from the patients with calcaneal spur and normal controls who had undergone radiological examination in Nanfang Hospital,Southern Medical University from July 2014 through December 2015.Ten radiological parameters of the foot (B(o)hler angle,Gissane angle,calcaneal inclination angle,talocalcaneal angle,talus horizontal angle,posterior facet inclination angle,calcaneal length,height of the posterior facet,absolute foot height,and calcaneal width) were measured in both the patients and normal controls.The location,morphology and length of calcaneal spurs were compared between genders,sides and age groups.Results A total of 216 parpatients were included in the study.Female patients were more than male ones,simple plantar spurs more than simple achilles tendon ones,type B spurs more than type A ones,the length of achilles tendon spurs larger than that of plantar ones,female plantar spurs more than males ones,and the length of right foot plantar spurs larger than that of left foot ones.All the differences above were statistically significant (P ＜ 0.05).There were no significant differences in the location,morphology or length of calcaneal spurs between the age group of ≤ 60 years old and the age group of ＞ 60 years old (P ＞ 0.05).The incidence of calcaneal spur were significantly correlated to Gissane angle (P =0.000,OR =0.944,95％ CI 0.917-0.973),posterior facet inclination angle (P=0.017,OR=0.957,95％ CI 0.924-0.992) and height of the posterior facet (P =0.007,OR =0.933,95％ CI O.886-0.981).Conclusions Calcaneal spur favored more females than males.Plantar spurs were more common than Achilles ones.Plantar spurs of Type B were more common than those of Type A.Achilles spurs were longer than plantar ones.More females suffered plantar spur than males.Right foot spurs were longer than left foot ones.Age had no significant influence on the spur characteristics.The incidence of spur might have been related to the Gissane angle,posterior facet inclination angle and height of the posterior facet of the foot.

Objective:To analyze the postoperative paravertebral muscle degeneration and its correlations with health related quality of life (HRQL) in patients undergoing minimally invasive surgery-transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (MIS-TLIF).Methods:The clinical data of the 50 patients were retrospectively analyzed who had undergone single-segmental MIS-TLIF at Department of Spinal Cord Surgery, The People's Hospital of Henan Province from January 2019 to December 2021. The relative volumes of lumbar posterior muscle (LM), the relative volumes of the psoas major (PM), and the rates of fatty degeneration (FD) of the fused segment and its adjacent segments were compared respectively between preoperation, 6 and 12 months postoperation. The correlations were analyzed between the HRQL scores [visual analog scale (VAS) for pain and Oswestry disability index (ODI)] and the relative LM volumes, the relative PM volumes, and the FD rates of the fused segment and its adjacent segments at 12 months postoperation.Results:Compared with the preoperative values, the relative LM volumes and the relative PM volumes of the fused segment and its adjacent segments at 6 and 12 months postoperation were significantly reduced while the FD rates significantly increased. However, the FD rate of the fused segment at 12 months postoperation (20.6% ± 6.1%) was significantly lower than that at 6 months postoperation (29.7% ± 8.2%) ( P < 0.05). The VAS score was strongly negatively or positively correlated with the relative LM volume ( r = -0.819, P < 0.001) and the FD rate ( r = 0.86, P < 0.001) of the fused segment, and moderately negatively correlated with the relative PM volume ( r = -0.435, P = 0.016). The ODI index was moderately negatively correlated with the relative LM volume ( r = -0.512, P = 0.004) and the relative PM volume ( r = -0.402, P = 0.020) of the fused segment, but moderately positively correlated with the FD rate of the fused segment ( r = 0.565, P = 0.001). There was a moderate negative correlation between the ODI index and the relative LM volume of the adjacent segments ( r = -0.478, P = 0.012). Conclusions:After MIS-TLIF, the volume of the paravertebral muscles decreases and the dorsal muscles develop fatty degeneration. The improvement of LM fatty degeneration may be observed by 12-month follow-up in the fused segment, but not in the adjacent segments. The LM volume and the FD rate of the fused segment are the most closely related to the postoperative HRQL.

Objective:To investigate the clinical efficacy of satellite rod revision surgery via a combined anterior and posterior approach for rod fracture after posterior vertebral column resection (PVCR) in patients with severe thoracolumbar kyphosis.Methods:A retrospective case series study was conducted on the clinical data of 11 patients with rod fracture after PVCR for severe thoracolumbar kyphosis, who were treated in Henan Provincial People′s Hospital from January 2013 to January 2021. There were 6 males and 5 females, with the age range of 21-62 years [(35.4±13.0)years]. Among them, 4 patients had traumatic kyphosis, 4 presented congenital kyphosis and 3 showed tuberculous kyphosis. All the patients had obvious low back pain. According to the American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) score, 2 patients were found with grade C, 2 with grade D and 7 with grade E. All the patients underwent revision surgery for internal fixation using satellite rod via a combined anterior and posterior approach. The operation time, intraoperative blood loss and postoperative hospital stay were recorded. The imaging parameters such as kyphosis Cobb angle, scoliosis Cobb angle, distance between C 7 plumb line and central sacral vertical line (C 7-CSVL), and distance between C 7 plumb line and sagittal vertical axis (SVA) were measured preoperatively, at 1 week postoperatively and at latest follow-up. At the same time, the visual analogue scale (VAS), Oswestry dysfunction index (ODI), and simplified Chinese version of the scoliosis research society-22 (SRS-22) questionnaire were used to evaluate the clinical efficacy. At the latest follow-up, the osteotomy fusion was evaluated by Suk criterion and ASIA score was used to evaluate the recovery of neurological function. The complications were also recorded for the patients. Results:All the patients were followed up for 24-84 months [(47.5±16.2)months]. The operation time was 100-220 minutes [(149.4±37.6)minutes], with the intraoperative blood loss of 150-350 ml [(246.3±64.6)ml] and the postoperative hospital stay of 5-8 days [(6.1±1.1)days]. The kyphosis Cobb angles [(18.5±3.2)° and (19.3±2.9)°] and the scoliosis Cobb angles [(11.8±2.2)°, (11.1±2.2)°] at 1 week post-operation and at the latest follow-up were all improved significantly compared with the preoperative ones [(60.4±6.3)°, (21.7±5.5)°] (all P<0.01), with the average correction rates being 69.4% and 45.6%, respectively, with no significant differences between 1 week post-operation and latest follow-up (all P>0.05). The C 7-CSVL was reduced from preoperative (21.2±4.3)mm to (15.7±2.4)mm at 1 week post-operation, and to (15.9±2.2)mm at the latest follow-up (all P<0.01). The SVA was improved from preoperative (51.0±6.8)mm to (16.6±3.6)mm at 1 week post-operation, and to (15.3±3.9)mm at the latest follow-up (all P<0.01). There were no significant differences in C 7-CSVL or SVA at 1 week post-operation or at the latest follow-up (all P>0.05). The VAS [(2.5±0.9)points, (1.9±0.9)points], ODI (20.1±5.4, 18.4±5.2) and SRS-22 [(83.4±5.8)points, (85.0±4.1)points] at 1 week post-operation and at the latest follow-up were significantly improved compared with the preoperative ones [(6.0±1.4)points, 57.2±8.7, (62.0±9.1)points] (all P<0.01), but no significant differences were found between 1 week post-operation and latest follow-up (all P>0.05). At the latest follow-up, the bone grafts achieved osseous fusion in all the patients, and the ASIA grade was improved from grade C to grade D in 2 patients and from grade D to grade E in 2 patients. No complications such as serious neurological or vascular injury occurred during perioperative period. No pseudoarthrosis formation, internal fixation loosening or fracture occurred during follow-up. Conclusion:Satellite rod revision surgery via a combined anterior and posterior approach for rod fracture after PVCR in patients with severe thoracolumbar kyphosis has the advantages of less trauma and faster convalescence, excellent results of deformity correction, significant pain relief, functional improvement, and fewer complications.

Objective:To explore the accuracy and repeatability of the smartphone scoliosis screening APP developed by our team in the measurement of the Cobb angle of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS).Methods:Clinical data of 60 patients with AIS admitted to Department of Spine and Spinal Surgery, Henan Province People′s Hospital from August 2020 to February 2021 were analyzed retrospectively.Three surveyors measured the coronal main curvature Cobb angle, sagittal thoracic kyphosis (TK) angle, thoracolumbar kyphosis (TLK) angle and lumbar kyphosis (LL) angle on whole-spine lateral X-ray films of 60 patients with AIS by means of the protractor, scoliosis screening APP and computerized Picture Archiving and Communication System (PACS). The time and results of each measurement were recorded.The measurement was repeated once after 2 weeks.Paired t-test was used to compare the measurement time of the APP method and the protractor method.Taking the Cobb angle measurement results of the PACS system as the reference standard, the accuracy of Cobb angle measurement by the APP method was analyzed by paired t-test.The repeatability of the surveyor and the consistency between the surveyors was compared by intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). Results:Among the 60 patients with AIS, there were 17 males and 43 females, aged from 10 to 16 years [(12.2±2.4) years]. The main bends were thoracic curvature (Lenke Ⅰ) in 23 cases, Lenke Ⅱ in 18 cases and thoracolumbar curvature/lumbar curvature (Lenke V) in 19 cases.The APP method took significantly less time to measure the Cobb angle than the protractor method ( P<0.05). There was no significant difference in the Cobb angle measured by the APP method and PACS method ( P>0.05). The results of the coronal main curvature Cobb angle, TK angle, TLK angle and LL angle measured by 3 surveyors through the APP method were all in good agreement (ICC=0.990, 0.988, 0.986, 0.987). The repeatability (ICC 0.973-0.982) of the coronal main curvature Cobb angle, TK, TLK and LL measured twice before and after the APP method were both better that of the protractor method (ICC 0.933-0.954). Conclusions:Compared with the traditional protractor, the smartphone scoliosis screening APP has the advantages of short measurement time, high efficiency, excellent accuracy and good repeatability in measuring the Cobb angle of AIS.

Objective:To explore the clinical effect of the 3D printing pre-installed screw channel model in assisting screw placement of single complete segmented congenital hemivertebrectomy.Methods:Clinical data of 13 children treated with single complete segmented congenital hemivertebrectomy in the Department of Spine and Spinal Surgery of Henan Provincial People′s Hospital from August 2016 to January 2019 were retrospectively analyzed.Among them, there were 5 males and 8 females with the mean age of 9.9 (5-14) years.Categorized by the lesion location, 3 cases were located at T 9, 2 cases at T 10, 5 cases at T 11, 1 case at T 12, and 2 cases at L 1.During the operation, the 3D printing pre-installed screw channel model was used to assist the placement of pedicle screws.The accuracy of screw placement was assessed by the postoperative CT.All children were routinely examined by full-length anterior and lateral X-ray of spine in the standing position before and after surgery to measure the Cobb angles at the coronal and sagittal view.Furthermore, the correction rate of scoliosis and kyphosis after surgery and during follow-up was also calculated.The One-Way repeated measures ANOVA was used to compare the Cobb angle of scoliosis and kyphosis before surgery, after surgery and during follow-up. Results:A total of 85 pedicle screws were placed in 13 children, with the accuracy rate of screw placement of 95.3%.The mean surgery time and intraoperative blood loss were (216.9±28.3) min, and (478.5±132.6) mL, respectively.Scoliosis Cobb was corrected from (57.1±12.7)° to (12.7±4.7)° with a correction rate of (78.4±5.9)%, which was (14.2±7.0)° at the last follow-up.Kyphosis angle was corrected from (46.2±8.4)° to (13.2±4.4)° with a correction rate of (72.6±7.0)%, which was (14.0±3.4)° at the last follow-up.None of the children had serious complications like vascular and nerve damage.The mean postoperative follow-up was 12.3 (6-18) months.No significant loss of angle was detected during the follow-up period.There were significant differences in the lateral and kyphotic angles after surgery and during follow-up compared with preoperative ones (all P<0.05). No significant difference was detected between the postoperative lateral and kyphotic angles and those at the last follow-up (all P>0.05). Conclusion:The 3D printing pre-installed screw channel model used to assist screw placement of single complete segmented congenital hemivertebrectomy can improve the precision of screw placement and the orthopedic effect on lateral kyphosis.