Patients with acute stroke are easily complicated with infection.It may seriously affect the prognosis.With the constantly in-depth study of the pathogenesis of stroke-related infections,its associated risk factors also become increasingly clear,including stroke severity,stroke types and location,malnutrition,diabetes,dysphagia,disturbance of consciousness,invasive operation,and the use of antacid,etc.This article reviews the major risk factors for stroke-related infections.

OBJECTIVETo discuss the impact of huolong moxibustion on pain degree in the patients of discogenic low back pain and the effect mechanism.

METHODSSixty-five patients were randomized into an observation group (33 cases) and a control group (32 cases). In the observation group, huolong moxibustion was applied along the distribution of the Governor Vessel, once a day. In the control group, the routine traction combined with massage therapy was adopted, once a day. In the two groups, the treatment was given 6 times a week, at interval of 1 day. In 3 weeks of treatment, pain score and serum tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) level were compared with those before treatment in the two groups.

RESULTSCompared with those before treatment, pain score and TNF-α level were reduced significantly after treatment in the two groups (both P < 0.05). The results in the observation group were lower than those in the control group (pain score: 1.95 ± 0.61 vs 2.11 ± 0.61; TNF-α: (1.33 ± 0.30) nmol/L vs (1.55 ± 0.48) nmol/L, (both P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONHuolong moxibustion significantly alleviates pain in the patients of discogenic low back pain and its effect mechanism is possibly relevant with TNF-α reducing.

Adult ; Female ; Humans ; Low Back Pain ; metabolism ; therapy ; Male ; Massage ; Middle Aged ; Moxibustion ; Pain Measurement ; Traction ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; metabolism ; Young Adult

Objective To assess the correlation between pre-operative N-terminal-pro-brain natriuretic levels and early survival rate among heart transplantion (HT) recipients in a single Chinese center.Methods According to the pre-operative NT-proBNP level of 284 HT recipients,the recipients were divided into two distinctive groups,≤5000 nmol/L group (237 cases) and ＞5000 nmol/L group (47 cases).The baseline characteristics and mortality for recipients with different primary cardiac diseases and on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) support were compared.Kaplan Meier method was used to calculate the 1-year survival rate of the two groups.Results The pre-operative NT-proBNP ＞5000 nmol/L group had an average pulmonary capillary wedge pressure of (25.1 ± 7.4)mmHg,noticeably higher than in ≤5000 nmol/L group [(21.4 ± 9.2) mmHg,P＜0.05].At the same time,the cardiac index (CI) in ＞5000 nmol/L group was (1.8 ± 0.5) L·min-1·m-2,significantly lower than in ≤5000 nmol/L group [(2.1 ± 0.6) L·min-1 ·m-2,P＜0.05].14.9％(7/47) of recipients in ＞5000 nmol/L group used ECMO support,and the corresponding ECMO-related morbidity was 71.4％ (5/7) and 1-year survival rate was 91.3％.6.8％ (16/237) of recipients in ≤ 5000 nmol/L group used ECMO support and the corresponding ECMO-related morbidity was 12.5％ (2/16) and 1-year overall survival rate was 96.9％.There was statistically significant difference in the ECMO usage,ECMO-related mortality rate and 1-year survival rate between the two groups (P＜0.05).Conclusion Recipients with pre-operative NT-proBNP ＞5000nmol/L have higher peri-operative ECMO-related morbidity and 1-year death rate.So determination of pre-operative NT-proBNP level may be beneficial to the timing of cardiac transplantation.

Objective To evaluate the clinical outcomes of sacral decompression and lumbopelvic fixation for neurologically impaired patients with sacral fracture-dislocation.Methods From January 2009 to December 2013,32 patients with sacral fracture and spino-pelvic dissociation of Roy-Camille types Ⅱand Ⅲ were treated at our department.They were 21 men and 11 women,with a mean age of 34.3 years.According to Roy-Camille classification,9 patients belonged to type Ⅱand 23 to type Ⅲ;25 patients had S1 fracture-dislocation and 7 S2 fracture-dislocation.After their overall conditions were stabilized,all were treated with open reduction,sacral decompression and lumbopelvic fixation.Pre-and post-operative neurological functions were recorded by Gibbons criteria.We analyzed the correlations between the neurological recovery and (i) the extent of cauda equina deficit and (ii) the continuity of sacral roots,as well as the correlations between the functional recovery of the bladder and bowels and the above two.The reduction and fusion status were evaluated by the Mears and Velyvis radiological criteria;clinical effectiveness was evaluated by Majeed scoring system.Intra-and post-operative complications were all recorded.Results The mean follow-up time for this series was 35 months (from 25 to 47 months).The average Gibbons score improved from 4.0 to 2.7 at the follow-ups.The patients with mild cauda equina deficit or with continuity of sacral roots achieved significantly better neurological recovery than those with severe cauda equina deficit or with discontinuity of sacral roots (P ＜ 0.001).However,the functional recovery of the bladder or bowels was not significantly correlated with the extent of cauda equina deficit or with the continuity of sacral roots.Anatomical reduction was achieved in 26 patients,satisfactory reduction in 5 and unsatisfactory reduction in one,yielding a satisfaction rate of 96.9％.Bony fusion was obtained in 29 patients at 3 months,but not until at 9 months in 2 patients,and still not at 9 months in one who showed no symptoms.The Majeed scoring showed 22 excellent,6 good and 4 moderate cases,giving an excellent to good rate of 87.5％.Two patients developed deep wound infection,3 complained of the pain related to hardware prominence,and one had unilateral rod breakage.Conclusions In treatment of sacral fracture with spino-pelvic dissociation,sacral decompression and lumbopelvic fixation can lead to effective neurological recovery,restoration of lumboscacral stability and alignment,early ambulation and prevention of deformity.Complete neurological recovery is more likely in patients with incomplete cauda equina deficit or with continuity of all sacral roots.

Objective To investigate outcomes of posterior instrumentation and fusion in treating ankylosing spondylitis (AS) combined with lower cervical fractures.Methods A retrospective case series study was made on 53 AS patients combined with cervical fractures or cervical thoracic fractures treated by posterior instrumentation and fusion from January 2006 to January 2013.There were 51 male and 2 female patients.The mean age of patients was 55 years old (range,34-69 years old).All the patients showed significant kyphosis on the thoracolumbar and cervicothoracic junction.A total of 20 patients had neurological dysfunction at different extents.According to the American spinal injury association (ASIA) classification,neurological status was scored as Grade A in 4 cases,Grade B in 5,Grade C in 4 and Grade D in 7.The operation time,total bleeding and decompression status were recorded during the surgery.Reduction,decompression condition and complications were evaluated.The neurological status and bone fusion were recorded at the follow-up.Results All surgeries were well accomplished.Mean surgical time was 3.7 h (range,2.9-5.3 h).Mean total bleeding was 690 ml (range,470-1 600 ml).Two patients died within 1 year follow-up because of internal diseases (1 case caused by respiratory system disease in 13 months postoperatively and 1 case caused by acute myocardial infarction in 15 months postoperatively).The mean follow-up time of other patients was 25 months (range,18-48 months).The CT scan manifested all patients achieved satisfactory fusion,and the mean time span of the fusion was 3.5 months (range,3-6 months) postoperatively.Among the 20 patients with various levels of neurological deficits before operation,the postoperative ASIA score was Grade A in 4 cases,Grade C in 2,Grade D in 4,and Grade E in 10.No instrumentation failure occurred during follow-up.Conclusion The posterior instrumentation and fusion for treating AS combined with cervical fractures can obtain satisfactory neurological results,spinal stabilization and clinical results,and hence an effective clinical problem-solving algorithm for such kind of patients.

Objective:To study the risk factors of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) to transcatheter arterial chemoembolization(TACE) refractoriness.Methods:The clinical data of 106 HCC patients who underwent TACE at the Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University from January 2020 to December 2021 were retrospectively studied. There were 90 males and 16 females, with the age of (59.9±9.3) years. These patients were divided into the TACE-refractory group ( n=47) and the control group ( n=59) based on whether TACE refratoriness occurred after surgery. Serum alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), protein induced by vitamin K absence or antagonist-II (PIVIKA-II), maximum diameter of tumor, number of tumor and tumor vascularization patterns between the two groups were compared. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to analyse the risk factors of TACE refractoriness in patients with HCC after TACE. Results:The proportion of patients with AFP >400 μg/L, PIVIKA-II >40 AU/L, number of tumor and tumor vascularization patterns Ⅲ+ Ⅳ (uneven enhancement) were significantly higher in the TACE-refractory group than the control group (all P<0.05). The maximum diameter of tumor for patients in the TACE-refractory group was significantly larger than that in the control group ( Z=-2.41, P=0.016). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that patients with serum AFP >400 μg/L( OR=2.707, 95% CI: 1.008-7.271), multiple tumors ( OR=6.069, 95% CI: 2.115-17.415) and tumor vascularization patterns Ⅲ+ Ⅳ (uneven enhancement)( OR=7.813, 95% CI: 2.246-27.176) before the first TACE were at increased risks of TACE refractoriness (all P<0.05). Conclusion:Preoperative AFP >400 μg/L, multiple tumors and tumor vascularization patterns Ⅲ+ Ⅳ were independent risk factors for TACE refractoriness in patients with HCC.

Objective:To explore the efficacy of O-arm navigation system-assisted upper cervical pedicle screw internal fixation in the treatment of traumatic atlantoaxial instability.Methods:A retrospective cohort study was conducted to analyze the clinical data of 61 patients with atlantoaxial instability admitted to Affiliated Honghui Hospital of Xi′an Jiaotong University from January 2021 to June 2022, including 34 males and 27 females, aged 20-77 years [(50.2±13.1)years]. A total of 38 patients were treated with unarmed screw placement (unarmed group), and 23 with O-arm navigation system-assisted screw placement (navigation group). The unarmed group was divided into experienced group ( n=20) and unexperienced group ( n=18) based on the surgeons′ experience (whether they had 20 years or longer experience of spinal surgery and performed more than 100 atlantoaxial surgeries independently). The screw placement and surgical time of each group was recorded. The cervical CT scan was conducted at 7 days after surgery to evaluate the satisfaction rate of pedicle screw placement and cortical penetration rate according to Neo grading criteria. The cervical nerve function of the patients before, at 7 days after surgery and at the last follow-up was evaluated using the Japanese Orthopedic Association (JOA) score and the Neck Disability Index (NDI). The occurrence of complications was observed. Results:All patients were followed up for 9-25 months [(16.3±4.2)months]. There were no statistically significant differences in the screw placement and surgical time between the navigation group and the unarmed group (all P>0.05). The screw placement time of the navigation group was (41.0±7.8)minutes, longer than that of the experienced group [(23.6±6.8)minutes] ( P<0.01) and shorter than that of the unexperienced group [(50.1±10.1)minutes] ( P<0.05). The surgical time of the navigation group was (101.9±9.9)minutes, which was longer than that of the experienced group [(67.6±8.3)minutes] ( P<0.01) and shorter than that of the unexperienced group [(126.1±16.4)minutes] ( P<0.01). The satisfaction rate of pedicle screw placement and cortical penetration rate of the navigation group were 98.9% and 4.3%, respectively, which were better than those of the unarmed group (94.1% and 17.8%), the experienced group (96.2% and 13.8%), and the unexperienced group (91.7% and 22.2%) ( P<0.05 or 0.01). There was no statistically significant difference in JOA score or NDI before, at 7 days after surgery or at the last follow-up between the navigation group and the unarmed group, and no difference between the navigation group and the experienced group or the unexperienced group (all P>0.05). No complications such as spinal cord nervous or vascular injuries were observed during surgery in the navigation group or the unarmed group. Conclusions:Compared with the unarmed screw placement, O-arm navigation system-assisted upper cervical pedicle screw internal fixation shows no significant difference in screw placement time, surgical time, and postoperative neurological function status in the treatment of traumatic atlantoaxial instability, but has a higher accuracy in screw placement. Compared with the experienced surgeons′ unarmed screw placement, the technique also has higher screw placement accuracy but longer screw placement time and surgical time. Whereas in comparison with unexperienced surgeons′ unarmed screw placement, the technique can not only significantly improve its screw placement accuracy, while shortening screw placement time and surgical time so as to improve the surgical safety.

Objective:To evaluate the efficacy of unilateral puncture techniques in high-viscosity cement percutanueous vertebroplasty (PVP) in treatment of type I chronic symptomatic osteoporotic vertebral compression fracture (CSOVCF).Methods:A retrospective case control study was conducted to analyze the clinical data of 119 patients with type I CSOVCF admitted to Honghui Hospital affiliated to Xi'an Jiaotong University School of Medicine from December 2013 to December 2016. There were 42 males and 77 females, aged 58-95 years [(79.2±15.6)years]. All patients had bone mineral density of -4.5--2.5 SD [(-3.9±0.2)SD] (T score). The fractured segments included L 1-L 2 in 56 patients and L 3-L 5 in 63. All patients were treated by high-viscosity cement PVP with the unilateral puncture of transverse process and superior articular process in unilateral group ( n=60) and by the bilateral puncture approach with the Magerl method in bilaleral group ( n=59). The operation time, cement injection volume, and intraoperative fluoroscopy frequency were recorded. The visual analogue scale (VAS), Oswestry dysfunction index (ODI), anterior height ratio of injured vertebrae and Cobb angle were measured before operation, at postoperative 1 day and at the last follow-up. The adjacent vertebral fracture, cement leakage and other complications were recorded. Results:All patients were followed up for 12-48 months [(24.1±5.6)months]. The operation time in unilateral group [(21.5±6.5)minutes] was significantly shorter than that in bilateral group [(37.8±7.4)minutes] ( P<0.05). The cement injection volume in unilateral group [(4.2±0.7)ml] was less than that in bilateral group [(6.5±1.1)ml]( P<0.05). The intraoperative fluoroscopy frequency in unilateral group [(14.2±3.0)times] was less than that in bilateral group [(31.4±6.4)times] ( P<0.05). Both groups showed significant improvements in VAS, ODI, anterior height ratio of injured vertebrae and Cobb angle at postoperative 1 day and at the last follow-up compared with these before operation ( P<0.05), but there were no significant differences after operation between the two groups ( P>0.05). The incidence of adjacent vertebral fracture was 5%(3/60) in unilateral group and 8% (5/59) in bilaleral group ( P>0.05). Four patients (7%) had cement leakage in unilateral group and 11 patients (19%) in bilateral group ( P<0.05). No complications of wound infection, nerve injury or pulmonary embolism occurred. Conclusion:Compared with Magerl bilateral puncture approach, high-viscosity cement PVP with unilateral puncture of transverse process and superior articular process in treatment of type I CSOVCF has advantages of shorter operation time, less trauma, less radiation exposure and lower cement leakage rate.

Objective To evaluate the precise percutaneous sacroplasty (PSP) assisted by a Renaissance robot for sacral insufficiency fractures (SIF).Methods The clinical data of 12 SIF patients were retrospectively analyzed who had been treated from March 2016 to March 2018 at Department of Spinal Surgery,Honghui Hospital.They were 5 males and 7 females,aged from 55 to 76 years (average,67.5 years).They all received PSP assisted by a Renaissance robot.Their operation time,hospital stay and intraoperative radiation were recorded.The clinical efficacy was evaluated by comparing their visual analogue scale (VAS) and Oswestry disability index (ODI) before surgery,1 day,3 and 12 months after surgery.Results All the 12 patients underwent surgery successfully with no complications like cement leakage.Their operation time ranged from 32 to 47 minutes (mean,36.8 minutes),their hospital stay from 12 to 25 hours (mean 17.5 hours) and their intraoperative exposure to radiation from 0.87 to 1.53 mSv (mean,1.27 mSv).All the patients were followed up for 12 to 18 months (mean,15.8 months).Their VAS (1.7 ± 0.7) and ODI (22.8 ± 4.1) one day after surgery were significantly decreased than the preoperative values (7.6 ±0.9 and 43.7 ±4.6) (P ＜ 0.05).At 3 and 12 months after surgery,their VAS scores were 2.0 ± 0.8 and 2.4 ±0.8 and their ODI scores 21.5 ±4.3 and 23.0 ±4.6,respectively,showing no significant differences from the values at 1 day after surgery (P ＞ 0.05).Conclusion The PSP assisted by a Renaissance robot is safe and leads to satisfactory clinical efficacy for SIF as bone cement can be accurately injected into the target area of the fracture.

Primary lung cancer is a malignant tumor with the highest incidence and mortality in China, and lung rehabilitation for lung cancer has become a research hotspot. Many literature and studies have confirmed the feasibility and safety of pulmonary rehabilitation for lung cancer, but the mechanism of pulmonary rehabilitation for lung cancer is not completely clear. This article will discuss the mechanism of pulmonary rehabilitation for lung cancer, the specific content of pulmonary rehabilitation and remote home pulmonary rehabilitation.