ObjectiveTo investigate whether Huanglian Jiedutang （HLJD） and its major active constituents （geniposide， baicalin， and berberine） can inhibit the inflammatory response of BV2 cells under lipopolysaccharide （LPS） stimulation via the high-mobility group protein B1 （HMGB1）/Toll-like receptor 4 （TLR4）/nuclear factor-κB （NF-κB） signaling pathway， and to explore differences in therapeutic efficacy among the three monomers， their combined formula， and HLJD under equal content ratios. MethodsBV2 microglial cells were used as the primary experimental model. Cell viability was assessed using the cell counting kit-8 （CCK-8） method to examine the effects of different concentrations of dimethyl sulfoxide （DMSO， 0.8%， 0.4%， 0.2%， 0.1%， and 0.05%） on cell viability. IncuCyte was employed to monitor the growth of cells under different concentrations of HLJD （200， 100， 50， 25， 12.5， 6.25 mg·L^-1）. Nitric oxide （NO） assay was used to screen the optimal HLJD concentration. High-performance liquid chromatography （HPLC） determined the content of geniposide， baicalin， and berberine in HLJD， and experimental groups were subsequently established according to the relative proportions of these constituents. CCK-8 assay evaluated cell viability under different treatments. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA） measured levels of inflammatory factors （TNF-α， IL-1β， IL-6， IL-10） in the supernatant. Flow cytometry assessed the effects of treatments on M1-type polarization of BV2 cells. Western blot determined the expression levels of HMGB1， TLR4， and NF-κB-related proteins. ResultsCompared with the blank group， DMSO at concentrations ≤0.2% did not affect cell viability within 48 h. BV2 cell growth plateaued at 24 h after treatment with 200 mg·L^-1 HLJD. Under stimulation with 2 mg·L^-1 LPS， this concentration of HLJD effectively reduced NO release， and 6 h pre-treatment had a stronger inhibitory effect on NO than direct administration. HPLC results showed that 1 mg of HLJD freeze-dried powder contained approximately 24 μg of geniposide， 15 μg of baicalin， and 30 μg of berberine. Based on these ratios， experimental groups were blank， LPS （2 mg·L^-1）， HLJD （200 mg·L^-1）， monomer combination， geniposide （4.8 mg·L^-1）， baicalin （3 mg·L^-1）， and berberine （6 mg·L^-1）. The monomer combination group consisted of all three active constituents dissolved together. LPS and HLJD or its active constituents did not affect cell viability compared with the blank group. LPS significantly increased TNF-α， IL-1β， IL-6， and IL-10 in the supernatant （P<0.01）. HLJD and its active constituents significantly reduced pro-inflammatory factors TNF-α， IL-1β， and IL-6 （P<0.05， P<0.01） while upregulating anti-inflammatory IL-10 （P<0.01）， with the monomer combination showing the strongest effect （P<0.05， P<0.01）. Compared with the blank group， LPS significantly increased the proportion of CD80⁺CD86⁺ （M1-type） BV2 cells （P<0.01）. HLJD and its constituents partially inhibited M1 polarization （P<0.05， P<0.01）， with the monomer combination exhibiting the most pronounced effect （P<0.05， P<0.01）. Compared with the blank group， LPS upregulated HMGB1， TLR4， and NF-κB-related proteins （P<0.01）， whereas HLJD and its active constituents significantly reduced their expression （P<0.05， P<0.01）， with the monomer combination having the strongest regulatory effect （P<0.05， P<0.01）. ConclusionHLJD and its major active constituents （geniposide， baicalin， berberine） can inhibit LPS-induced inflammatory responses in BV2 cells. The combination of the three active constituents demonstrates the most potent anti-inflammatory effect， significantly attenuating M1-type polarization of BV2 cells via the HMGB1/TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway.

ObjectiveTo investigate whether Huanglian Jiedutang can inhibit neutrophil infiltration in the brains of middle cerebral artery occlusion （MCAO） mice by regulating the expression of neutrophil-related chemokines in exosomes， thereby achieving therapeutic effects. MethodsA total of 130 male specific pathogen-free （SPF） C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into four groups： Sham-operated group， MCAO model group， Huanglian Jiedutang group （6 g·kg^-1）， and Ginaton group （21.6 mg·kg^-1）， with 10 mice in the Ginaton group and 40 mice in each of the remaining three groups. Mice in the Huanglian Jiedutang group and the Ginaton group were administered the corresponding drugs by oral gavage once daily at a volume of 0.15 mL·（10 g）^-1 for 7 consecutive days， while the sham-operated and model groups received an equal volume of saline via the same route. After 7 days， MCAO surgery was performed. The distal and proximal ends of the right common carotid artery （CCA） were ligated， a small incision was made between the two ligatures， and a silicone rubber-coated monofilament with a rounded tip was inserted into the lumen to occlude the CCA. The filament was left in place for 1 h to establish a focal cerebral ischemia model. At 24 h after modeling， mice were evaluated. Neurological function was assessed using the Longa score. Cerebral infarct volume was measured by 2，3，5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride （TTC） staining. Cerebral blood flow was observed by laser speckle imaging. Hematoxylin and eosin （HE） staining and Nissl staining were used to observe pathological changes in brain tissues. Exosomes were isolated from mouse plasma and brain tissues by ultracentrifugation and molecular size exclusion and identified by electron microscopy， particle size analysis， and protein blotting. Long-chain RNA libraries of exosomes were constructed and sequenced. Real-time quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction （Real-time PCR） was used to detect the mRNA expression of inflammatory factors and neutrophil-related chemokines in exosomes from plasma and brain tissues of each group. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA） was used to detect the protein expression of inflammatory factors and neutrophil-related chemokines in exosomes from brain tissues of each group. Immunohistochemistry was used to detect the expression of the neutrophil-specific protein myeloperoxidase （MPO） in the brains of mice in each group. ResultsCompared with the sham-operated group， the model group showed decreased neurological function scores （P<0.01）， obvious cerebral infarction （P<0.01）， reduced cerebral blood flow （P<0.01）， neuronal necrosis in the brain， and decreased numbers of Nissl bodies （P<0.01）. The mRNA expression levels of IL-1β， MPO， CXCL1， CXCL2， CXCL3， CXCL10， CCL2， and CCL3 in exosomes from plasma and brain tissues were significantly increased （P<0.05， P<0.01）. The protein expression levels of IL-1β， MPO， CXCL2， and CXCL10 in exosomes from brain tissues were increased （P<0.05， P<0.01）， and MPO-positive rates and mean optical density values in brain tissues were elevated （P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， the Huanglian Jiedutang group and the Ginaton group showed increased neurological function scores （P<0.05）， reduced cerebral infarct volume （P<0.01）， restored cerebral blood flow （P<0.01）， reduced necrotic cells in the brain， and increased numbers of Nissl bodies （P<0.01）. In the Huanglian Jiedutang group， the mRNA expression levels of IL-1β， MPO， CXCL1， CXCL2， CXCL3， CXCL10， CCL2， and CCL3 in exosomes from plasma and brain tissues were decreased （P<0.05， P<0.01）. The protein expression levels of IL-1β， MPO， CXCL2， and CXCL10 in exosomes from brain tissues were reduced （P<0.05， P<0.01）， and MPO-positive rates and mean optical density values in brain tissues were decreased （P<0.01）. ConclusionHuanglian Jiedutang can effectively regulate the expression of neutrophil-related chemokines in exosomes from plasma and brain tissues of MCAO mice， thereby reducing neutrophil infiltration in the brain and achieving therapeutic effects.

ObjectiveTo investigate whether Huanglian Jiedutang can inhibit neutrophil infiltration in the brains of middle cerebral artery occlusion （MCAO） mice by regulating the expression of neutrophil-related chemokines in exosomes， thereby achieving therapeutic effects. MethodsA total of 130 male specific pathogen-free （SPF） C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into four groups： Sham-operated group， MCAO model group， Huanglian Jiedutang group （6 g·kg^-1）， and Ginaton group （21.6 mg·kg^-1）， with 10 mice in the Ginaton group and 40 mice in each of the remaining three groups. Mice in the Huanglian Jiedutang group and the Ginaton group were administered the corresponding drugs by oral gavage once daily at a volume of 0.15 mL·（10 g）^-1 for 7 consecutive days， while the sham-operated and model groups received an equal volume of saline via the same route. After 7 days， MCAO surgery was performed. The distal and proximal ends of the right common carotid artery （CCA） were ligated， a small incision was made between the two ligatures， and a silicone rubber-coated monofilament with a rounded tip was inserted into the lumen to occlude the CCA. The filament was left in place for 1 h to establish a focal cerebral ischemia model. At 24 h after modeling， mice were evaluated. Neurological function was assessed using the Longa score. Cerebral infarct volume was measured by 2，3，5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride （TTC） staining. Cerebral blood flow was observed by laser speckle imaging. Hematoxylin and eosin （HE） staining and Nissl staining were used to observe pathological changes in brain tissues. Exosomes were isolated from mouse plasma and brain tissues by ultracentrifugation and molecular size exclusion and identified by electron microscopy， particle size analysis， and protein blotting. Long-chain RNA libraries of exosomes were constructed and sequenced. Real-time quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction （Real-time PCR） was used to detect the mRNA expression of inflammatory factors and neutrophil-related chemokines in exosomes from plasma and brain tissues of each group. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA） was used to detect the protein expression of inflammatory factors and neutrophil-related chemokines in exosomes from brain tissues of each group. Immunohistochemistry was used to detect the expression of the neutrophil-specific protein myeloperoxidase （MPO） in the brains of mice in each group. ResultsCompared with the sham-operated group， the model group showed decreased neurological function scores （P<0.01）， obvious cerebral infarction （P<0.01）， reduced cerebral blood flow （P<0.01）， neuronal necrosis in the brain， and decreased numbers of Nissl bodies （P<0.01）. The mRNA expression levels of IL-1β， MPO， CXCL1， CXCL2， CXCL3， CXCL10， CCL2， and CCL3 in exosomes from plasma and brain tissues were significantly increased （P<0.05， P<0.01）. The protein expression levels of IL-1β， MPO， CXCL2， and CXCL10 in exosomes from brain tissues were increased （P<0.05， P<0.01）， and MPO-positive rates and mean optical density values in brain tissues were elevated （P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， the Huanglian Jiedutang group and the Ginaton group showed increased neurological function scores （P<0.05）， reduced cerebral infarct volume （P<0.01）， restored cerebral blood flow （P<0.01）， reduced necrotic cells in the brain， and increased numbers of Nissl bodies （P<0.01）. In the Huanglian Jiedutang group， the mRNA expression levels of IL-1β， MPO， CXCL1， CXCL2， CXCL3， CXCL10， CCL2， and CCL3 in exosomes from plasma and brain tissues were decreased （P<0.05， P<0.01）. The protein expression levels of IL-1β， MPO， CXCL2， and CXCL10 in exosomes from brain tissues were reduced （P<0.05， P<0.01）， and MPO-positive rates and mean optical density values in brain tissues were decreased （P<0.01）. ConclusionHuanglian Jiedutang can effectively regulate the expression of neutrophil-related chemokines in exosomes from plasma and brain tissues of MCAO mice， thereby reducing neutrophil infiltration in the brain and achieving therapeutic effects.

Objective:To investigate the survival outcomes and prognostic factors in patients undergoing radical resection for pancreatic body and tail cancer.Methods:A retrospective case series study was conducted on 992 patients who underwent radical resection for pancreatic body and tail cancer at the Pancreatic Center of the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University from January 2016 to June 2024. In this study, 577 (58.2%) were male and 415 (41.8%) were female,with an age of (65±9) years (range: 26 to 86 years). Follow-up continued until June 2024. Survival rates were estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method,and prognostic factors were identified using univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazards models.Results:Among 992 patients,open surgery was the predominant approach (89.1%, 884/992), and radical antegrade modular pancreatosplenectomy (RAMPS) was performed in 317 patients (32.0%). Combined organ resection,venous resection,and arterial resection were performed in 23.5%, 9.3%,and 11.2% of patients,respectively. The rates of R0, R1-1 mm, and R1-direct resections were 49.8% (494/992),41.5% (412/992), and 8.7% (86/992),respectively. Stage ⅡB was the most common TNM stage (32.2%,319/992). A total of 801 patients (80.8%) received adjuvant chemotherapy. The median follow-up period was 32.0(8.8) months(range:3.2 to 105.3 months),during which 508 patients (51.2%) died. The overall median survival (OS) was 26.4 months,with 1-,3-, and 5-year survival rates of 79.0%,40.0%, and 29.0%, respectively. In the recent five years (from 2020 to 2024), the median OS improved significantly to 34.1 months compared to 20.0 months from 2016 to 2019 ( P<0.01). Histological subtype analysis showed that the median OS time was 26.7 months for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC, n=855),58.9 months for invasive intraductal papillary mucinous carcinoma (IPMC, n=32),and 15.7 months for adenosquamous carcinoma of pancreas (ASCP, n=73) ( P=0.001). Among PDAC patients, adjuvant chemotherapy significantly improved survival (29.1 months vs. 14.4 months, P<0.01);in IPMC patients, adjuvant chemotherapy also extended survival (65.7 months vs. 58.9 months, P=0.047). Although ASCP patients receiving chemotherapy had a longer median OS time than those without (18.8 months vs. 8.9 months),the difference was not statistically significant ( P=0.151). Multivariate Cox regression analysis in PDAC patients indicated that adjuvant chemotherapy, R0 resection, T stage,N stage,and tumor differentiation were independent prognostic factors ( P<0.01). The median OS time by TNM stage was:not reached for stage ⅠA, 51.6 months for ⅠB, 25.5 months for ⅡA, 23.7 months for ⅡB, 23.0 months for Ⅲ, and 14.4 months for Ⅳ. The median OS time for R0,R1-1 mm,and R1-direct resections was 34.1,24.7,and 15.7 months,respectively ( P<0.01). Conclusion:Adjuvant chemotherapy,R0 resection,tumor stage,and differentiation are independent prognostic factors for pancreatic body and tail cancer.

Both hyperlipidemic acute pancreatitis and fatty liver disease are associated with lipid metabolism disorders and are commonly comorbid with each other in clinical practice. The pathogenesis of such comorbidity involves the interaction between multiple factors such as hypertriglyceridemia， metabolic syndrome， obesity， and insulin resistance， and these factors may form a vicious cycle and jointly promote disease progression. In clinical practice， hyperlipidemic acute pancreatitis is characterized by severe disease conditions， a high incidence rate of complications， a high mortality rate， and a tendency for recurrence， and it can easily lead to multi-organ damage and even multiple organ failure without timely treatment， posing a serious threat to the life of patients. Starting from the various signaling pathways associated with hyperlipidemic acute pancreatitis comorbid with fatty liver disease， this article discusses the potential molecular mechanisms of synergistic pathogenesis between hyperlipidemic acute pancreatitis and fatty liver disease， so as to provide a reference for the early prevention and treatment of such comorbidity.

Objective:To investigate the survival outcomes and prognostic factors in patients undergoing radical resection for pancreatic body and tail cancer.Methods:A retrospective case series study was conducted on 992 patients who underwent radical resection for pancreatic body and tail cancer at the Pancreatic Center of the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University from January 2016 to June 2024. In this study, 577 (58.2%) were male and 415 (41.8%) were female,with an age of (65±9) years (range: 26 to 86 years). Follow-up continued until June 2024. Survival rates were estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method,and prognostic factors were identified using univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazards models.Results:Among 992 patients,open surgery was the predominant approach (89.1%, 884/992), and radical antegrade modular pancreatosplenectomy (RAMPS) was performed in 317 patients (32.0%). Combined organ resection,venous resection,and arterial resection were performed in 23.5%, 9.3%,and 11.2% of patients,respectively. The rates of R0, R1-1 mm, and R1-direct resections were 49.8% (494/992),41.5% (412/992), and 8.7% (86/992),respectively. Stage ⅡB was the most common TNM stage (32.2%,319/992). A total of 801 patients (80.8%) received adjuvant chemotherapy. The median follow-up period was 32.0(8.8) months(range:3.2 to 105.3 months),during which 508 patients (51.2%) died. The overall median survival (OS) was 26.4 months,with 1-,3-, and 5-year survival rates of 79.0%,40.0%, and 29.0%, respectively. In the recent five years (from 2020 to 2024), the median OS improved significantly to 34.1 months compared to 20.0 months from 2016 to 2019 ( P<0.01). Histological subtype analysis showed that the median OS time was 26.7 months for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC, n=855),58.9 months for invasive intraductal papillary mucinous carcinoma (IPMC, n=32),and 15.7 months for adenosquamous carcinoma of pancreas (ASCP, n=73) ( P=0.001). Among PDAC patients, adjuvant chemotherapy significantly improved survival (29.1 months vs. 14.4 months, P<0.01);in IPMC patients, adjuvant chemotherapy also extended survival (65.7 months vs. 58.9 months, P=0.047). Although ASCP patients receiving chemotherapy had a longer median OS time than those without (18.8 months vs. 8.9 months),the difference was not statistically significant ( P=0.151). Multivariate Cox regression analysis in PDAC patients indicated that adjuvant chemotherapy, R0 resection, T stage,N stage,and tumor differentiation were independent prognostic factors ( P<0.01). The median OS time by TNM stage was:not reached for stage ⅠA, 51.6 months for ⅠB, 25.5 months for ⅡA, 23.7 months for ⅡB, 23.0 months for Ⅲ, and 14.4 months for Ⅳ. The median OS time for R0,R1-1 mm,and R1-direct resections was 34.1,24.7,and 15.7 months,respectively ( P<0.01). Conclusion:Adjuvant chemotherapy,R0 resection,tumor stage,and differentiation are independent prognostic factors for pancreatic body and tail cancer.

Objective:To investigate the infection rate of cytomegalovirus (CMV) and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) in patients with severe aplastic anemia (SAA) after intensive immunosuppressive therapy in combination with a thrombopoietin receptor agonist (lST+TPO-RA) as well as assess the clinical impact of treatment.Methods:A retrospective, case series study was undertaken involving patients with SAA who were admitted to Soochow Hopes Hematonosis Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, and Zhengzhou Third People′s Hospital from June 2022 to February 2025. Thirty patients with complete CMV and EBV monitoring data after IST+TPO-RA treatment were enrolled. The first activation time of CMV and EBV, the maximum viral load, the first negative conversion time, and blood routine tests within 3 days before CMV and EBV positivity, during the positive period, and within 3 days after turning negative were recorded. The patients were followed up for 9 months after the completion of IST. One-way analysis of variance was used to compare the changes of blood routine before and after virus positivity and after turning negative. The χ2 test was used to compare the viral infection rate and the therapeutic effect of IST between the two groups. Results:The 30 SAA patients comprised 15 males and 15 females with an average age of (40.0±16.9) years. Of the 30 patients, 18 (60.0%) were infected with CMV and 6 (20.0%) with EBV. Among them, 17 cases received rabbit anti-human thymocyte immunoglobulin (r-ATG) treatment (r-ATG group), 13 cases received porcine anti-human lymphocyte immunoglobulin (p-ALG) treatment (p-ALG group). The CMV infection rate was significantly higher in the r-ATG group than in the p-ALG group (15/17 vs. 3/13, χ2=13.03, P<0.001); meanwhile, the rate of EBV infection was only slightly higher in the r-ATG group than in the p-ALG group, and the difference did not reach statistical significance (5/17 vs. 1/13, χ2=2.17, P=0.196). In patients infected with CMV, neutrophil, hemoglobin, and platelet counts were significantly decreased during the infection phase, followed by significant increases after CMV clearance ( F=14.48, 11.38, 4.73; all P<0.05). No significant differences in treatment efficacy were found between the r-ATG and p-ALG groups at 3, 6, and 9 months post-IST (all P>0.05). Conclusions:This preliminary study showed that the incidence of CMV and EBV infection in patients with SAA increased after IST, with CMV infections occurring significantly more frequently than EBV infections. The CMV infection rate was significantly higher in patients treated with r-ATG than in those receiving p-ALG. CMV infection was associated with notable alterations in hematological parameters, highlighting the need for close clinical monitoring.

Objective:To analyze the key factors in quality control for clinical laboratory instrument by constructing an analysis framework of the model that entropy weight method(EWM)combines with decision laboratory analysis(DEMATEL),so as to obtain the key factors of quality control for clinical laboratory instrument,and provide a basis in formulating targeted quality control strategies for clinical laboratory instruments.Methods:Based on EWM,the entropy weight values of various factors of quality control for clinical laboratory instruments that produced influence on quality control for clinical laboratory instruments were obtained,and the DEMATEL was combined to determine the value of influence degree among different factors.The combined weight values of each factor were calculated to construct the analysis framework of the model that EWM combined with DEMATEL.Then,the main influencing factors were determined to formulate the model of management system of quality control for clinical laboratory instruments.Results:The management system of quality control for clinical laboratory instruments included 23 key factors of 5 aspects:performance and design of instruments,operators'training and skills,environmental factors,maintenance management,and mechanism of quality feedback.The combined weights of 10 factors,which included maintenance for instrument,operators'experience and proficiency,repair for instrument,operators'understanding for instrument performance,accuracy of instrument,mechanism of quality control and continuous feedback,stability of instrument,data security,suggestions of analyzing and optimizing data,and calibration for instrument,has a relatively high weight,and they were extremely key factors in the quality control for clinical laboratory instruments.Conclusion:The analysis framework of EWM combined with DEMATEL model can improve the accuracy and reliability of analyzing key factors of quality control for clinical laboratory instrument,and provide scientific basis in formulating targeted quality control strategies for clinical laboratory instrument,and help to promote continuous improvement and enhancement of quality control for clinical laboratory instrument.

With the rapid development of competitive sports, the incidence of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury is on the rise. Such injuries may shorten athletes′ career and lead to other long-term adverse consequences. Although athletes generally recover well after ACL reconstruction, many still struggle to return to their pre-injury performance levels. Advances in the understanding of ACL anatomy and injury mechanisms, along with the evolution of surgical techniques and rehabilitation methods, have provided more individualized and tailored options for athletes following ACL injuries. However, there is currently no consensus in China regarding surgical and rehabilitation strategies for competitive athletes aiming to return to sports after ACL injuries. To this end, the Sports Medicine Committee of the Chinese Research Hospital Association and the Editorial Board of the Chinese Journal of Trauma jointly formulated the Expert consensus on surgical treatment and rehabilitation for competitive sports athletes returning to sports after anterior cruciate ligament injury ( version 2025), and presented 14 recommendations covering surgical indications, preoperative rehabilitation, surgical timing, surgical strategies and postoperative rehabilitation strategies, aiming to improve the surgical treatment and rehabilitation system for ACL injuries in competitive athletes and facilitate their return to high-level sports performance after injury.

Objective:To compare the efficacy of O-arm navigation-assisted and freehand posterior pedicle screw fixation in the treatment of ankylosing spondylitis (AS) associated with lower cervical fractures in adults.Methods:A retrospective cohort study was conducted to analyze the clinical data of 29 adult AS patients with lower cervical fractures admitted to Zhengzhou Orthopedic Hospital from June 2020 to September 2024, including 22 males and 7 females, aged 35-72 years [(52.3±11.1)years]. Injured segments involved C 5~6 in 6 patients, C 6 in 8, C 6~7 in 8, and C 7 in 7. Accirdubg to AO classification, the fracture was classified as type B3 in 22 patients and type C in 7. All the patients underwent posterior cervical pedicle screw fixation, among whom 15 patients were treated with navigation-assisted screw placement (navigation screw placement group, with 120 screws) and 14 with freehand technique (freehand screw placement group, with 112 screws). The two groups were compared in terms of the operative time, intraoperative blood loss, and postoperative drainage volume. The accuracy of screw placement, penetration rate of the pedicle cortex and fracture healing time were evaluated in the two groups. The Cobb angle before surgery and at 3 days after surgery and American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) classification before surgery and at the last follow-up were recorded in the two groups. The visual analogue scale (VAS) score, Japanese Orthopedic Association (JOA) score and neck dysfunction index (NDI) before surgery, at 1 week, 3 months after surgery and at the last follow-up were compared between the two groups. The incidence of postoperative complications was also investigated. Results:All the patients were followed up for 6-57 months [(29.3±14.1)months]. The operation duration, intraoperative blood loss, and postoperative drainage volume were (166.0±31.4)minutes, (256.7±70.7)ml, and (91.0±14.4)ml in the navigation screw placement group, which were shorter or less than (219.29±31.7)minutes, (342.1±60.7)ml, and (123.2±20.7)ml in the freehand screw placement group ( P<0.01). The accuracy of screw placement in the navigation screw placement group was 98.3% (118/120) and penetration rate of the pedicle cortex was 5.8% (7/120), which were both superior to 89.3% (100/112) and 18.8% (21/112) in the freehand screw placement group ( P<0.01). No significant difference was detected in fracture healing time between the two groups ( P>0.05). There were no significant differences in the Cobb angle before surgery and at 3 days after surgery, as well as in the ASIA grading before surgery and at the last follow-up between the two groups ( P>0.05). The Cobb angle and ASIA classification at 3 days after surgery and at the last follow-up were improved compared with those before surgery ( P<0.05). Before surgery, at 1 week, 3 months after surgery, and at the last follow-up, the VAS scores were 8.0(7.0, 9.0)points, 4.0(3.0, 4.0)points, 2.0(1.0, 2.0)points, and 0.0(0.0, 1.0)points in the navigation screw placement group, which were not significantly different from 8.0(7.0, 9.0)points, 4.0(3.0, 4.0)points, 1.5(1.0, 2.0)points, and 0.0(0.0, 1.0)points in the freehand screw placement group ( P>0.05); the JOA scores were (7.5±1.4)points, (10.9±1.2)points, (13.2±1.5)points, and (15.7±1.0)points in the navigation screw placement group, which were not significantly different from (7.2±2.8)points, (10.1±3.2)points, (11.8±3.8)points, and (14.1±4.3)points in the freehand screw placement group ( P>0.05); the NDI were 48.0(44.0, 56.0)%, 30.0(30.0, 34.0)%, 18.0(16.0, 22.0)%, 8.0(6.0, 10.0)% in the navigation screw placement group, which were not significantly different from 44.0(40.0, 52.0)%, 30.0(29.0, 34.5)%, 17.0(16.0, 20.0)%, and 8.0(5.5, 10.0)% in the freehand screw placement group ( P>0.05). The VAS scores, JOA scores, and NDI were improved at 1 week, 3 months after surgery, and at the last follow-up in both groups, compared to those before surgery and they were gradually improved with the passage of the follow-up time ( P<0.05). One patient in the navigation screw placement group developed postoperative pulmonary infection and recovered after symptomatic treatment, with an incidence of complications 7% (1/15). Two patients in the freehand screw placement group had postoperative cerebrospinal fluid leakage and dural rupture and recovered after symptomatic treatment, with an incidence of complications 14% (2/14). Throughout the follow-up period, no complications such as screw breakage, implant loosening, or loss of correction were found in either group. Conclusion:Compared with freehand screw placement, the O-arm navigation system-assisted posterior pedicle screw fixation in the treatment of AS associated with lower cervical fractures in adults demonstrates significant advantages, including reduced operative time, decreased intraoperative blood loss and postoperative drainage volume, improved accuracy of screw placement, and reduced penetration rate of the pedicle cortex.