Objective To analyze cause and preventative measures of neurological complications of spinal osteotomy for thoracolumbar and lumbar kyphosis in ankylosing spondylitis.Methods Data of 126 patients with kyphosis caused by ankylosing spondylitis,who had undergone spinal osteotomy in our hospital from January 2006 to January 2012,were retrospectively analyzed.Among them,18 patients developed neurological complications after spinal osteotomy,including 15 males and 3 females,aged from 25 to 56 years.The average preoperative Cobb angle of these patients was 76.3°.According to American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) classification,all patients were rated as grade E.Results All 18 patients were followed up for 6 to 49 months (average,35 months).The postoperative Cobb angle ranged from 19° to 38° (average,27°).The average Cobb angle was corrected 49.3°.Neurological complications included spinal cord injury (3 cases) and nerve root injury (15 cases).The reasons of spinal cord injury consisted of sagittal migration of vertebra,spinal stenosis due to operation and iatrogenic cervical spine fracture and dislocation.The reasons of nerve root injury included compression injury (2 cases),malposition of screw (1 case) and excessive drag of nerve root during osteotomy (12 cases).Conclusion Nerve injury is one of the most serious complications of spinal osteotomy in the treatment of kyphosis in ankylosing spondylitis.The incidence of the neurological complications could be obviously reduced by fully decompressing,making patients in a proper surgical position,recognizing the pathological nature of ankylosing spondylitis and avoiding sagittal migration of osteotomy part.

ObjectiveTo explore the therapeutic effect of selective antagonist-AM630 of cannabionid receptor 2 (CB2) in treatment of the titanium particles-induced inflammatory osteolysis.MethodsForty-five female BALB/c mice, 6-8 weeks old, were involved in the study, of which 15 mice were used as skull donors and the rest experimental animals were randomly divided into three groups, ie, black group, control group and treatment group, 10 mice per group.The mice model with air-pouch osteolysis induced by the titanium particles were established.The mice in the treatment group were injected with CB2 selective antagonist-AM630 (200 μg · kg-1 · d-1) intraperitoneally from two days before establishment of the air-pouch osteolysis model to two weeks after establishment of the model.Then, the mice were sacrificed and the pouch tissues were collected for molecular and histological analyses.The pouch membrane thickness and cell infiltration were tested by using computerized image analysis system and HE staining respectively.Osteoclast-like cells in the pouch membrane were determined by using tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP) staining.Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was employed to detect the mRNA levels of CB2, IL-1 β, TNF-α, receptor activator of NF-κB ligand (RANKL)and receptor activator of NF-κB (RANK).ResultsThere exhibited apparent erythematous and oedematous changes in the control group, which was mitigated around the bone implants with AM630 treatment.Quantitative image analysis of the histological sections revealed significant difference of the pouch membrane thickness among three groups, (192.2 ± 19.4)μm in control group, (88.5 ± 14.7) μm in blank group and (122.1 ± 15.2) μm in treatment group (F = 101.74, P ＜ 0.05).Intensive TRAP staining was identified much in the control group but markedly reduced after AM630 treatment in the pouch tissues.RT-PCR showed that titanium particle stimulation could enhance the expressions of CB2, IL-1 β, TNF-α, RANKL and RANK gene in the air pouch tissues.However, the mRNA levels of these genes were markedly reduced after AM630 treatment, with statistical difference compared with control group (P ＜ 0.05).ConclusionsCB2 selective antagonist AM630 can inhibit the process of titanium particlesstimulated inflammatory reaction and osteoclast activation.Therefore, CB2 represents a new suitable therapeutic candidate for the prevention and treatment of aseptic loosening of the artificial joint.

BACKGROUND: Glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis has relationship with the down-regulation of osteoprotegedn expression. Osteoprotegerin could inhibit bone resorption in the animal experiment and clinical application for treating oestrogenic hormone deficiency osteoporosis. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of exogenous recombinant osteoprotegerin fusion protein on glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis in rats. DESIGN, TIME AND SETTING: Randomized grouping, controlled animal expenment was performed in the Institute of Orthopedics, Chinese PLA General Hospital between January 2006 and June 2008. MATERIALS: Sixty healthy male Wistar rats of clean grade; Dexamethasone was produced by Tianjin Jinyao Amino Acid Co., Ltd (Licenca No. H12020515). METHODS: Sixty rats were divided into 3 groups randomly with 20 rats in each. Control group: the rats were administrated with 0.9％ sodium chloride. Dexamethasone group: the rats were administrated with dexamethasone intramuscularly. Osteoprotegedn group: the rats were administrated with dexamethasone and recombinant osteoprotegerin intramuscularly. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: All rats were sacrificed at 12 weeks after administration. The urine calcium, phosphor, creatinine, bone mineral density, biomechanics tests of femur and vertebral body, were measured. Immunohistochemistry staining were performed to observe osteoprotegerin expression.RESULTS: Sixty rats were all involved in the final analysis. ①Compared with control group, udne calcium increased in the Dexamethasone group (P < 0.05); the bone mineral density of lumbar vertebra and femur decreased significantly (P < 0.05), especially lumbar vertebra (P < 0.01); biomechanics tests of femur and vertebral body (maximum load, maximum stress, elasticity load, elasticity stress, elastic modulus) decreased significantly (P < 0.05); immunohistochemistry staining showed that endogenous osteoprotegerin expressions were reduced significantly in bone marrow of Dexamethasone group (P < 0.01). ②Compared with Dexamethasone group, urine calcium decreased in the osteoprotegerin group (P < 0.01 ); the bone mineral density of lumbar vertebra and femur increased (P < 0.05); the parameters of biomechanics testa of femur and vertebral body increased (P < 0.05); the osteoprotegerin expression was not changed between Dexamethasone group and osteoprotegerin group.CONCLUSION: Glucocorticoid could inhibit osteoprotegerin expression in the bone followed by progressive bone loss and induce osteoporosis. Recombinant osteoprotegerin works effectively in inhibiting bone resorption after administrated with glucocorticoid, reduce bone resorption index, increase bone mineral index and bone strength, thus improving the osteoporosis which is induced by glucocorticoid.

Objective:To evaluate the effect of ionizing radiation on chromosome aberration of peripheral blood lymphocytes in children with vascular interventional procedure.Methods:The chromosome aberration of peripheral blood lymphocytes was analyzed before and after vascular interventional procedure to assess the effect of low-dose ionizing radiation on chromosomes. Peripheral blood (PB) was collected using heparin as an anticoagulant from 26 patients before and after (within 10 minutes) vascular interventional surgery. Informed consent was obtained from the patients′ parents.Results:Dicentric + centric ring (dic+ r) formation increased significantly ( U=647, P<0.01) in peripheral blood lymphocytes of children after interventional operation. No correlation was observed between the rate of dic+ r and the cumulative dose (CD), dose area product (DAP), age, body weight, gender and the estimated effective dose E ( P>0.05). There was no significant difference in dic+ r rate of children between different genders, ages and lesion sites ( P>0.05). The dic+ r rate after interventional operation exceeded 40×10 -3 in 4 of 26 cases with the highest of 95.83×10 -3. Conclusions:The ionizing radiation during children′s vascular interventional procedure might lead to the increase of chromosome aberration of peripheral blood lymphocytes and some children are abnormally sensitive. Great attention should be paid to the justification and radiation protection during interventional procedure for children.

Objective To investigate the occupational health status of 450 radiation workers in a steel mill when they resigned, and to provide references and suggestions for the occupational health monitoring of the enterprise employees and for the workers’ proper arrangement after their resignations. Methods Occupational health examinations were performedon 450 steel workers who were about to resign in accordance with the applicable laws and regulations. And the examination results were statistically analyzed. Results Among the 450 radiation workers, 82% had abnormal examination results which included chromosome aberration in peripheral blood lymphocytes (4.89%), lens opacity (44.44%), pinguecula (25.33%), hypertension (28.22%), thyroid dysfunction (9.59%), and abnormal liver ultrasound findings (30.89%). Compared with the normal population, these steel workers had a significantly higher chromosome aberration rate in peripheral blood lymphocytes and a significantly higher incidence rate of ocular disorders. Conclusion It is important to effectively manage the occupational health of radiation employees in steel mills, and to regularly provide training on occupational health protection. To avoid radiation damage, workers should pay close attention to radiation protection at work, especially eye protection, to avoid eye disorders.

Objective To investigate the occupational health status of radiation workers in Dezhou, China, explore the effects of low-dose ionizing radiation on the health of radiation workers, and provide a basis for improving the health of radiation workers. Methods A total of 1101 radiation workers in Dezhou who underwent occupational health examination in 2021 were selected. The effects of physical examination type, type of work, sex, length of service, and age on the health status of radiation workers were compared and analyzed. Results The abnormal rates of abdominal color Doppler ultrasound and eye lens were significantly higher in pre-post radiation workers than in radiation works (P < 0.05). The abnormal rates of eye lens increased with the length of service in radiation workers (P < 0.05). The abnormal rate of abdominal color Doppler ultrasound in male workers was higher than that in female workers, while the abnormal rates of blood routine and thyroid function were higher in female workers than in male workers (P < 0.05). Conclusion The abdominal rates of color Doppler ultrasound and eye lens are relatively high among radiation workers in Dezhou. It is necessary to improve the protection awareness and strengthen the level of radiation protection, so as to ensure the occupational health of radiation workers.