1.Monotropein improves motor function of mice with spinal cord injury by inhibiting the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway to suppress neuronal apoptosis.
Yue CHEN ; Linyu XIAO ; Lü REN ; Xue SONG ; Jing LI ; Jianguo HU
Journal of Southern Medical University 2025;45(4):774-784
OBJECTIVES:
To investigate the effect of monotropein on motor function recovery of mice with spinal cord injury (SCI) and explore the underlying mechanism.
METHODS:
Forty-five adult female C57BL/6 mice were randomized equally into sham operation group, SCI group, and SCI group with daily intraperitoneal monotropein injection. The mice in the former two groups received daily saline injections. Motor function of the mice was evaluated using BMS scores, slant plate test, and footprint analyses. Pathological changes and neuronal counts in the spinal cord were observed using HE, LFB, and Nissl staining. The biological functions of monotropein were explored using GO and KEGG enrichment analyses. NeuN/cleaved caspase-3 immunofluorescence assay and Western blotting were used to detect neuronal apoptosis in the spinal cord of the mice. In cultured HT22 cells, the effect of monotropein on TNF-α-induced cell apoptosis was evaluated using TUNEL staining and Western blotting. In monotropein-treated HT22 cells and SCI mice, the changes in the PI3K/AKT pathway were examined, and the effect of a PI3K/AKT pathway activator (IGF-1) on HT22 cell apoptosis and motor function recovery of SCI mice were observed.
RESULTS:
SCI mice with monotropein treatment showed significantly improved motor functions with reduced SCI areas and increased myelin retention and neuron counts in the spinal cord. Bioinformatics analysis suggested a role of PI3K/AKT signaling pathway in mediating the anti-apoptotic effects of monotropein. In SCI mice, monotropein obviously reduced apoptotic neurons, decreased expressions of cleaved caspase-3 and Bax and increased Bcl-2 expression in the spinal cord. In HT22 cells, monotropein significantly inhibited TNF-α-induced apoptosis and PI3K/AKT pathway activation. Treatment with IGF-1 obviously increased apoptosis of HT22 cells and exacerbated locomotor dysfunction in SCI mice.
CONCLUSIONS
Monotropein promotes motor function recovery in SCI mice by reducing neuronal apoptosis possibly by inhibiting the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway.
Animals
;
Spinal Cord Injuries/metabolism*
;
Apoptosis/drug effects*
;
Signal Transduction/drug effects*
;
Mice, Inbred C57BL
;
Mice
;
Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt/metabolism*
;
Female
;
Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases/metabolism*
;
Neurons/pathology*
;
Recovery of Function
2.Orexin-A promotes motor function recovery of rats with spinal cord injury by regulating ionotropic glutamate receptors.
Guanglü HE ; Wanyu CHU ; Yan LI ; Xin SHENG ; Hao LUO ; Aiping XU ; Mingjie BIAN ; Huanhuan ZHANG ; Mengya WANG ; Chao ZHENG
Journal of Southern Medical University 2025;45(5):1023-1030
OBJECTIVES:
To investigate the effect of orexin-A-mediated regulation of ionotropic glutamate receptors for promoting motor function recovery in rats with spinal cord injury (SCI).
METHODS:
Thirty-six newborn SD rats (aged 7-14 days) were randomized into 6 groups (n=6), including a normal control group, a sham-operated group, and 4 SCI groups with daily intrathecal injection of saline, DNQX, orexin-A, or orexin-A+DNQX for 3 consecutive days after PCI. Motor function of the rats were evaluated using blood-brain barrier (BBB) score and inclined plane test 1 day before and at 1, 3, and 7 days after SCI. For patch-clamp experiment, spinal cord slices from newborn rats in the control, sham-operated, SCI, and SCI+orexin groups were prepared, and ventral horn neurons were acutely isolated to determine the reversal potential and dynamic indicators of glutamate receptor-mediated currents under glutamate perfusion.
RESULTS:
At 3 and 7 days after SCI, the orexin-A-treated rats showed significantly higher BBB scores and grip tilt angles than those with other interventions. Compared with those treated with DNQX alone, the rats receiving the combined treatment with orexin and DNQX had significantly higher BBB scores and grip tilt angles on day 7 after PCI. In the patch-clamp experiment, the ventral horn neurons from SCI rat models exhibited obviously higher reversal potential and greater rise slope of glutamate current with shorter decay time than those from sham-operated and orexin-treated rats.
CONCLUSIONS
Orexin-A promotes motor function recovery in rats after SCI possibly by improving the function of the ionotropic glutamate receptors.
Animals
;
Spinal Cord Injuries/drug therapy*
;
Rats
;
Rats, Sprague-Dawley
;
Receptors, Ionotropic Glutamate/metabolism*
;
Recovery of Function/drug effects*
;
Orexins/pharmacology*
;
Male
;
Female
;
Animals, Newborn
;
Neuropeptides/pharmacology*
;
Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins/pharmacology*
3.Engineered Extracellular Vesicles Loaded with MiR-100-5p Antagonist Selectively Target the Lesioned Region to Promote Recovery from Brain Damage.
Yahong CHENG ; Chengcheng GAI ; Yijing ZHAO ; Tingting LI ; Yan SONG ; Qian LUO ; Danqing XIN ; Zige JIANG ; Wenqiang CHEN ; Dexiang LIU ; Zhen WANG
Neuroscience Bulletin 2025;41(6):1021-1040
Hypoxic-ischemic (HI) brain damage poses a high risk of death or lifelong disability, yet effective treatments remain elusive. Here, we demonstrated that miR-100-5p levels in the lesioned cortex increased after HI insult in neonatal mice. Knockdown of miR-100-5p expression in the brain attenuated brain injury and promoted functional recovery, through inhibiting the cleaved-caspase-3 level, microglia activation, and the release of proinflammation cytokines following HI injury. Engineered extracellular vesicles (EVs) containing neuron-targeting rabies virus glycoprotein (RVG) and miR-100-5p antagonists (RVG-EVs-Antagomir) selectively targeted brain lesions and reduced miR-100-5p levels after intranasal delivery. Both pre- and post-HI administration showed therapeutic benefits. Mechanistically, we identified protein phosphatase 3 catalytic subunit alpha (Ppp3ca) as a novel candidate target gene of miR-100-5p, inhibiting c-Fos expression and neuronal apoptosis following HI insult. In conclusion, our non-invasive method using engineered EVs to deliver miR-100-5p antagomirs to the brain significantly improves functional recovery after HI injury by targeting Ppp3ca to suppress neuronal apoptosis.
Animals
;
MicroRNAs/metabolism*
;
Extracellular Vesicles/metabolism*
;
Mice
;
Recovery of Function/physiology*
;
Hypoxia-Ischemia, Brain/therapy*
;
Mice, Inbred C57BL
;
Antagomirs/administration & dosage*
;
Male
;
Animals, Newborn
;
Apoptosis/drug effects*
;
Brain Injuries/metabolism*
;
Glycoproteins
;
Peptide Fragments
;
Viral Proteins
4.A study of early graft healing after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction in over-the-top position.
Jue GONG ; Zhiheng WEI ; Mengyang JIA ; Weiming WANG ; Xianxiang XIANG
Chinese Journal of Reparative and Reconstructive Surgery 2025;39(3):307-313
OBJECTIVE:
To compare early graft healing between over-the-top (OTT) and anatomic single-bundle (SB) anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction.
METHODS:
A clinical data of 40 patients underwent ACL reconstruction, who admitted between June 2021 and October 2022 and met the selective criteria, was retrospectively analyzed. Among them, 20 patients were treated with OTT reconstruction (OTT group) and 20 with SB reconstruction (SB group). There was no significant difference between groups ( P>0.05) in the gender, age, affected side, disease duration, degree of meniscus injury, body mass index, and preoperative International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) score, Lysholm score, pain visual analogue scale (VAS) score, and KT-2000 measurement. At 3, 6, and 12 months, MRI was performed to measure the signal noise quotient (SNQ) of the proximal end, middle, and distal end of the graft in the two groups, as well as at the corner of the graft with lateral femoral condyle and 1 cm around the femoral fixation point in the OTT group, to observe the degree of graft healing. Before operation and at 3, 6, and 12 months, the knee function and pain were evaluated by IKDC score, Lysholm score, and VAS score. Before operation and at 12 months after operation, the KT-2000 measurement was taken to evaluation the knee joint stability.
RESULTS:
All operations were successfully completed in both groups and the incisions healed by first intention. All patients were followed up 12-15 months (mean, 12.9 months), with no significant difference in the follow-up time between groups ( P>0.05). After operation, the IKDC score, VAS score, and Lysholm score improved gradually over time in both groups, with significant differences between different time points ( P<0.05). The differences between groups at 3, 6, and 12 months after operation were not significant ( P>0.05). The anterior and posterior stability of the knee joint improved significantly in both groups at 12 months after operation, and the difference in KT-2000 measurements was significant when compared with the preoperative value ( P<0.05), but the difference of pre- and post-operation between groups was not significant ( P>0.05). At 3, 6, and 12 months after operation, MRI showed that the differences in the SNQ of the proximal end and middle of the grafts between the two groups were not significant ( P>0.05), and the SNQ of distal end was significantly higher in the SB group than in the OTT group ( P<0.05). At each time point, grafts in the OTT group had the highest SNQ at the corner and the lowest at the fixation point, and the differences were significant compared to the other sites ( P<0.05). In the two groups, except for the fixation point, the SNQ of the remaining sites were highest at 6 months and lowest at 12 months ( P<0.05). In addition, there were significant differences in SNQ between the different sites of grafts ( P<0.05), and the SNQ was lowest at proximal end and highest at distal end. At last follow-up, the knee grafts in both groups were in good shape and no graft necrosis or loosening of the internal fixation was observed.
CONCLUSION
The knee joint function and graft healing after OTT reconstruction of ACL are similar to those of SB reconstruction, but it should be noted that the healing at the corner of the graft is slower.
Retrospective Studies
;
Treatment Outcome
;
Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction/rehabilitation*
;
Follow-Up Studies
;
Tibial Meniscus Injuries/surgery*
;
Patient Positioning/methods*
;
Recovery of Function
;
Pain Measurement
;
Knee Joint/surgery*
;
Humans
;
Male
;
Female
;
Adult
;
Wound Healing
5.Effect of removing microglia from spinal cord on nerve repair after spinal cord injury in mice.
Qi JIANG ; Chao QI ; Yuerong SUN ; Shiyuan XUE ; Xinyi WEI ; Haitao FU
Chinese Journal of Reparative and Reconstructive Surgery 2025;39(6):754-761
OBJECTIVE:
To investigate the effects of removing microglia from spinal cord on nerve repair and functional recovery after spinal cord injury (SCI) in mice.
METHODS:
Thirty-nine 6-week-old female C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into control group ( n=12), SCI group ( n=12), and PLX3397+SCI group ( n=15). The PLX3397+SCI group received continuous feeding of PLX3397, a colony-stimulating factor 1 receptor inhibitor, while the other two groups were fed a standard diet. After 14 days, both the SCI group and the PLX3397+SCI group were tested for ionized calcium binding adapter molecule 1 (Iba1) to confirm that the PLX3397+SCI group had completely depleted the spinal cord microglia. The SCI model was then prepared by clamping the spinal cord in both the SCI group and the PLX3397+SCI group, while the control group underwent laminectomy. Preoperatively and at 1, 3, 7, 14, 21, and 28 days postoperatively, the Basso Mouse Scale (BMS) was used to assess the hind limb function of mice in each group. At 28 days, a footprint test was conducted to observe the gait of the mice. After SCI, spinal cord tissue from the injury site was taken, and Iba1 immunofluorescence staining was performed at 7 days to observe the aggregation and proliferation of microglia in the spinal cord. HE staining was used to observe the formation of glial scars at the injury site at 28 days; glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) immunofluorescence staining was applied to astrocytes to assess the extent of the injured area; neuronal nuclei antigen (NeuN) immunofluorescence staining was used to evaluate neuronal survival. And 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) immunofluorescence staining was performed to assess axonal survival at 60 days.
RESULTS:
All mice survived until the end of the experiment. Immunofluorescence staining revealed that the microglia in the spinal cord of the PLX3397+SCI group decreased by more than 95% compared to the control group after 14 days of continuous feeding with PLX3397 ( P<0.05). Compared to the control group, the BMS scores in the PLX3397+SCI group and the SCI group significantly decreased at different time points after SCI ( P<0.05). Moreover, the PLX3397+SCI group showed a further decrease in BMS scores compared to the SCI group, and exhibited a dragging gait. The differences between the two groups were significant at 14, 21, and 28 days ( P<0.05). HE staining at 28 days revealed that the SCI group had formed a well-defined and dense gliotic scar, while the PLX3397+SCI group also developed a gliotic scar, but with a more blurred and loose boundary. Immunofluorescence staining revealed that the number of microglia near the injury center at 7 days increased in the SCI group than in the control group, but the difference between groups was not significant ( P>0.05). In contrast, the PLX3397+SCI group showed a significant reduction in microglia compared to both the control and SCI groups ( P<0.05). At 28 days after SCI, the area of spinal cord injury in the PLX3397+SCI group was significantly larger than that in SCI group ( P<0.05); the surviving neurons significantly reduced compared with the control group and SCI group ( P<0.05). The axonal necrosis and retraction at 60 days after SCI were more obvious.
CONCLUSION
The removal of microglia in the spinal cord aggravate the tissue damage after SCI and affecte the recovery of motor function in mice, suggesting that microglia played a neuroprotective role in SCI.
Animals
;
Spinal Cord Injuries/surgery*
;
Microglia/pathology*
;
Female
;
Mice
;
Mice, Inbred C57BL
;
Nerve Regeneration/drug effects*
;
Spinal Cord/pathology*
;
Pyrroles/administration & dosage*
;
Aminopyridines/administration & dosage*
;
Recovery of Function
;
Disease Models, Animal
;
Calcium-Binding Proteins/metabolism*
;
Receptors, Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor/antagonists & inhibitors*
;
Microfilament Proteins/metabolism*
;
Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein/metabolism*
6.Establishment of a canine model of vascularized allogeneic spinal cord transplantation and preliminary study on spinal cord continuity reconstruction.
Jiayang CHEN ; Rongyu LAN ; Weihua ZHANG ; Jie QIN ; Weijun HU ; Jiaxing WANG ; Xiaoping REN
Chinese Journal of Reparative and Reconstructive Surgery 2025;39(9):1196-1202
OBJECTIVE:
To explore the construction of a canine model of vascularized allogeneic spinal cord transplantation (vASCT) and preliminarily evaluate its therapeutic efficacy for spinal cord injury (SCI).
METHODS:
Sixteen female Beagle dogs aged 8-12 months were randomly selected, with 8 dogs serving as donors for the harvesting of spinal cord tissue with a vascular pedicle [dorsal intercostal artery (DIA) at the T10 level and accompanying vein]. The remaining 8 dogs underwent a 1.5-cm-length spinal cord defect at the T10 level, followed by transplantation of the donor spinal cord tissue for repair. Polyethylene glycol (PEG) was applied to both ends to spinal cord graft; then, using a random number table method, the dogs were divided into an experimental group (n=4) and a control group (n=4). The experimental group received immunosuppressive intervention with oral tacrolimus [0.1 mg/(kg∙d)] postoperatively, while the control group received no treatment. The operation time and ischemia-reperfusion time of two groups were recorded. The recovery of hind limb function was estimated by Olby score within 2 months after operation; the motor evoked potentials (MEP) was measured through neuroelectrophysiological examination, and the spinal cord integrity was observed through MRI.
RESULTS:
There was no significant difference in the operation time and ischemia-reperfusion time between the two groups (P>0.05). All dogs survived until the completion of the experiment. Within 2 months after operation, all dogs in the control group failed to regain the movement function of hind limbs, and Olby scores were all 0. In the experimental group, the movement and weight-bearing, as well as walking abilities of the hind limbs gradually recovered, and the Olby scores also showed a gradually increasing trend. There was a significant difference between the two groups from 3 to 8 weeks after operation (P<0.05). Neuroelectrophysiological examination indicated that the electrical signals of the experimental group passed through the transplanted area, and the latency was shortened compared to that at 1 month after operation (P<0.05), showing continuous improvement, but the amplitude did not show significant improvement (P>0.05). The control group was unable to detect any MEP changes after operation. MRI examination showed that the transplanted spinal cord in the experimental group survived and had good continuity with normal spinal cord tissue, while no relevant change was observed in the control group.
CONCLUSION
The vASCT model of dogs was successfully constructed. This surgical procedure can restore the continuity of the spinal cord. The combination of tacrolimus anti-immunity is a key factor for the success of transplantation.
Animals
;
Dogs
;
Female
;
Spinal Cord/blood supply*
;
Spinal Cord Injuries/surgery*
;
Transplantation, Homologous
;
Disease Models, Animal
;
Recovery of Function
;
Plastic Surgery Procedures/methods*
;
Tacrolimus
;
Immunosuppressive Agents
7.Impact of lower limb weight bearing line ratio on motor function recovery after high tibial osteotomy.
Zhaoqi LI ; Weiyi YANG ; Jianke PAN ; Yanhong HAN
Chinese Journal of Reparative and Reconstructive Surgery 2025;39(11):1435-1440
OBJECTIVE:
To determine the impact of the lower limb weight bearing line ratio (WBLR) on motor function recovery after high tibial osteotomy (HTO).
METHODS:
A retrospective analysis was conducted on 55 patients with unilateral compartment knee osteoarthritis who underwent open-wedge HTO between August 2020 and October 2023 and met the selection criteria. Based on the postoperative Lysholm score, patients were divided into two groups: the good knee function group (Lysholm score≥90, group A) and the poor knee function group (Lysholm score<90, group B). Lysholm score, American Knee Society (AKS) score, Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) score, and visual analogue scale (VAS) score for pain were compared between the two groups. Univariate analysis was performed on baseline data including gender, age, body mass index (BMI), affected side, disease duration, Kellgren-Lawrence grade, and radiographic parameters [preoperative and postoperative medial proximal tibial angle, lateral distal femoral angle, femoral-tibial angle, hip-knee-ankle angle (HKA), WBLR, posterior tibial slope angle, and joint line convergence angle] to identify factors influencing functional recovery. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was further used to identify independent factors. Additionally, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was employed to determine the optimal cut-off value of postoperative WBLR for predicting motor function recovery, and the area under curve (AUC) was calculated to assess diagnostic performance.
RESULTS:
All 55 patients were followed up 10-14 months (mean, 11.8 months). According to the postoperative Lysholm score, there were 30 patients in group A and 25 in group B. All postoperative clinical scores in group A were significantly better than those in group B ( P<0.05). Univariate analysis indicated that age, BMI, postoperative HKA, and postoperative WBLR were influencing factors for motor function recovery ( P<0.1). Further multivariate logistic regression analysis identified a postoperative WBLR≤55.5% as an independent factor influencing motor function recovery ( P<0.05). ROC curve analysis yielded an AUC of 0.788 and determined the optimal postoperative WBLR cut-off value for predicting motor function recovery to be 55.5% ( P<0.001).
CONCLUSION
A postoperative WBLR of 55.5% is associated with optimal motor function recovery after HTO.
Humans
;
Male
;
Female
;
Osteotomy/methods*
;
Retrospective Studies
;
Tibia/surgery*
;
Recovery of Function
;
Middle Aged
;
Osteoarthritis, Knee/physiopathology*
;
Weight-Bearing
;
Knee Joint/surgery*
;
Lower Extremity
;
Aged
;
Adult
;
Treatment Outcome
8.Research progress on enhanced recovery after posterior cruciate ligament reconstruction.
Zhengliang SHI ; Yanlin LI ; Zhaohui RUAN ; Hongmai YANG ; Kaiquan LI ; Ping YUAN ; Wenting TANG ; Rui HAN
Chinese Journal of Reparative and Reconstructive Surgery 2025;39(12):1591-1599
OBJECTIVE:
To summarize research progress on enhanced recovery after posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) reconstruction, clarify the core contradictions, effective intervention methods, and evaluation shortcomings in current clinical practice, and provide theoretical support for optimizing clinical rehabilitation strategies.
METHODS:
Relevant domestic and international literature in recent years was systematically searched. The key technologies and challenges for enhanced recovery after PCL reconstruction were analyzed from three aspects: the core issues of enhanced recovery after PCL reconstruction, treatment strategies, and the post-reconstruction effectiveness evaluation system.
RESULTS:
Enhanced recovery after PCL reconstruction mainly faces two core problems. First, there is a balance dilemma between graft tendon protection and knee joint function recovery: the tensile capacity of the graft tendon is weak in the early postoperative period, so excessive weight-bearing easily leads to relaxation, while overly conservative immobilization causes muscle atrophy and joint adhesion. Second, the return-to-sport rate is significantly affected by injury type and treatment method: patients with combined multiple ligament or meniscus injuries have a much lower return-to-sport rate than those with isolated PCL injury, and the risk of return-to-sport failure is higher. Current research mainly promotes rehabilitation from two aspects: physical therapy and surgical technology. Physical therapy runs through the perioperative period: preoperatively, muscle strength training, swelling control, and maintenance of joint range of motion are used to optimize surgical conditions; postoperatively, phased intervention is implemented. Surgical technology focuses on minimally invasive and anatomical approaches: arthroscopic surgery reduces injury, double-bundle reconstruction and internal tension-relief technology improve stability, and modified tunnel positioning and special surgical methods avoid the risk of "Killer Turn". Postoperative functional evaluation adopts multi-dimensional indicators: subjective evaluation relies on scales such as Lysholm and International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC); objective evaluation assesses stability through Telos stress test and posterior drawer test; imaging evaluation takes MRI as the core; psychological evaluation is assisted by the Tampa scale of kinesiophobia-11 (TSK-11). However, there are obvious shortcomings, such as the lack of PCL-specific evaluation tools.
CONCLUSION
Enhanced recovery after PCL reconstruction requires the integration of precise surgery, individualized rehabilitation, and comprehensive subjective and objective evaluation. In the future, biomaterials and digital technologies should be integrated to optimize the full-cycle management of PCL reconstruction, thereby improving functional recovery and the effect of return to sports.
Humans
;
Posterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction/rehabilitation*
;
Posterior Cruciate Ligament/injuries*
;
Recovery of Function
;
Knee Joint/physiopathology*
;
Knee Injuries/rehabilitation*
;
Return to Sport
;
Enhanced Recovery After Surgery
;
Tendons/transplantation*
;
Arthroscopy
9.Early clinical observation of the efficacy of a three-stage traditional Chinese medicine external treatment plan for talus Bone bruises caused by acute ankle sprain.
Mei-Qi YU ; Lei ZHANG ; Tian-Xin CHEN ; Ting-Ting DONG ; Yan LI ; Jun-Ying WU ; Bo JIANG ; Sheng ZHANG ; Xiao-Hua LIU ; Jin SUN ; Qing-Lin WANG
China Journal of Orthopaedics and Traumatology 2025;38(8):835-841
OBJECTIVE:
To explore the early clinical efficacy of a three-stage external treatment with traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) in the treatment of talar bone contusion caused by acute ankle sprain.
METHODS:
A retrospective analysis was performed on 360 patients with primary lateral ankle sprain admitted from September 2021 to July 2024. Patients with talar bone contusion were selected based on MRI examination, and 73 cases were finally included. According to different treatment methods, they were divided into the observation group and the control group. The observation group consisted of 35 cases, including 16 males and 19 females, aged 24 to 37 years old with an average of (30.34±2.68) years old, and received the three-stage external TCM treatment combined with the "POLICE" protocol. The control group included 38 cases, including 18 males and 20 females, aged 24 to 35 years old with an average of (29.87±2.57) years old, and was treated with the "POLICE" protocol alone. The volume of bone marrow edema (BME) area shown by MRI before treatment and 6 weeks after treatment was measured using 3D Slicer software, and the BME improvement rate was calculated. The "Figure of 8" measurement method was used to assess ankle swelling before treatment and at 1 and 3 weeks after treatment. The visual analogue scale (VAS) was used to evaluate ankle pain before treatment and at 1 and 6 weeks after treatment. At 6 weeks after treatment, the American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) ankle-hindfoot score and Karlsson ankle function score system were used to evaluate the improvement of ankle function.
RESULTS:
A total of 73 patients with talar bone contusion caused by ankle sprain completed the 6-week follow-up. At 6 weeks after treatment, the BME improvement rate in the observation group was (39.18±0.06)%, which was higher than (26.75±0.03)% in the control group, with a statistically significant difference (P<0.05). After 1 week of treatment, the VAS score in the observation group was (2.89±0.72) points, lower than (3.37±0.79) points in the control group, and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05). The ankle swelling degree in the observation group was (50.20±3.19) cm, lower than (52.00±3.60) cm in the control group, with a statistically significant difference (P<0.05). After 3 weeks of treatment, there was no statistically significant difference in ankle swelling between the two groups. At 6 weeks after treatment, there was no statistically significant difference in VAS scores between the two groups. At 6 weeks after treatment, the AOFAS ankle-hindfoot score and Karlsson score in the observation group were (87.43±4.18) and (82.77±5.93) points, respectively, which were higher than (82.92±4.87) and (76.45±6.85) points in the control group, with statistically significant differences (P<0.05). According to the AOFAS ankle-hindfoot score, 8 cases were excellent and 27 cases were good in the observation group;2 cases were excellent, 33 cases were good, and 3 cases were fair in the control group. The difference between the two groups was statistically significant (χ2=7.089, P=0.029).
CONCLUSION
The three-stage external TCM treatment combined with the "POLICE" protocol has a significant early clinical efficacy. It can significantly reduce ankle pain and swelling in patients with bone contusion caused by acute lateral ankle sprain, promote the absorption of bone marrow edema, and accelerate the recovery of ankle function.
Ankle Injuries/drug therapy*
;
Drugs, Chinese Herbal/administration & dosage*
;
Talus/injuries*
;
Retrospective Studies
;
Administration, Cutaneous
;
Magnetic Resonance Imaging
;
Humans
;
Male
;
Female
;
Young Adult
;
Adult
;
Contusions/etiology*
;
Visual Analog Scale
;
Musculoskeletal Pain/etiology*
;
Recovery of Function/drug effects*
;
Treatment Outcome
;
Follow-Up Studies
10.Dislocations deteriorate postoperative functional outcomes in supination-external rotation ankle fractures.
Sheng-Ye HU ; Mu-Min CAO ; Yuan-Wei ZHANG ; Liu SHI ; Guang-Chun DAI ; Ya-Kuan ZHAO ; Tian XIE ; Hui CHEN ; Yun-Feng RUI
Chinese Journal of Traumatology 2025;28(2):124-129
PURPOSE:
To assess the relationship between dislocation and functional outcomes in supination-external rotation (SER) ankle fractures.
METHODS:
A retrospective case series study was performed on patients with ankle fractures treated surgically at a large trauma center from January 2015 to December 2021. The inclusion criteria were young and middle-aged patients of 18 - 65 years with SER ankle fractures that can be classified by Lauge-Hansen classification and underwent surgery at our trauma center. Exclusion criteria were serious life-threatening diseases, open fractures, fractures delayed for more than 3 weeks, fracture sites ≥ 2, etc. Then patients were divided into dislocation and no-dislocation groups. Patient demographics, injury characteristics, surgery-related outcomes, and postoperative functional outcomes were collected and analyzed. The functional outcomes of SER ankle fractures were assessed postoperatively at 1-year face-to-face follow-up using the foot and ankle outcome score (FAOS) and American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Society ankle hindfoot score and by 2 experienced orthopedic physicians. Relevant data were analyzed using SPSS version 22.0 by Chi-square or t-test.
RESULTS:
During the study period, there were 371 ankle fractures. Among them, 190 (51.2%) were SER patterns with 69 (36.3%) combined with dislocations. Compared with the no-dislocation group, the dislocation group showed no statistically significant differences in gender, age composition, fracture type, diabetes, or smoking history, preoperative waiting time, operation time, and length of hospital stay (all p > 0.05), but a significantly higher Lauge-Hansen injury grade (p < 0.001) and syndesmotic screw fixation rate (p = 0.033). Moreover, the functional recovery was poorer, revealing a significantly lower FAOS in the sport/rec scale (p < 0.001). Subgroup analysis showed that among SER IV ankle fracture patients, FAOS was much lower in pain (p = 0.042) and sport/rec scales (p < 0.001) for those with dislocations. American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Society ankle hindfoot score revealed no significant difference between dislocation and no-dislocation patients.
CONCLUSION
Dislocation in SER ankle fractures suggests more severe injury and negatively affects functional recovery, mainly manifested as more pain and poorer motor function, especially in SER IV ankle cases.
Humans
;
Ankle Fractures/physiopathology*
;
Male
;
Female
;
Retrospective Studies
;
Adult
;
Middle Aged
;
Supination
;
Aged
;
Young Adult
;
Rotation
;
Joint Dislocations/surgery*
;
Fracture Fixation, Internal/methods*
;
Adolescent
;
Recovery of Function
;
Treatment Outcome

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