Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) combined with lower cervical fracture is often categorized into unstable fracture, with a high incidence of neurological injury and a high rate of disability and morbidity. As factors such as shoulder occlusion may affect the accuracy of X-ray imaging diagnosis, it is often easily misdiagnosed at the primary diagnosis. Non-operative treatment has complications such as bone nonunion and the possibility of secondary neurological damage, while the timing, access and choice of surgical treatment are still controversial. Currently, there are no clinical practice guidelines for the treatment of AS combined with lower cervical fracture with or without dislocation. To this end, the Spinal Trauma Group of Orthopedics Branch of Chinese Medical Doctor Association organized experts to formulate Clinical guidelines for the treatment of ankylosing spondylitis combined with lower cervical fracture in adults ( version 2024) in accordance with the principles of evidence-based medicine, scientificity and practicality, in which 11 recommendations were put forward in terms of the diagnosis, imaging evaluation, typing and treatment, etc, to provide guidance for the diagnosis and treatment of AS combined with lower cervical fracture.

The incidence of osteoporotic thoracolumbar vertebral fracture (OTLVF) in the elderly is gradually increasing. The kyphotic deformity caused by various factors has become an important characteristic of OTLVF and has received increasing attention. Its clinical manifestations include pain, delayed nerve damage, sagittal imbalance, etc. Currently, the definition and diagnosis of OTLVF with kyphotic deformity in the elderly are still unclear. Although there are many treatment options, they are controversial. Existing guidelines or consensuses pay little attention to this type of fracture with kyphotic deformity. To this end, the Lumbar Education Working Group of the Spine Branch of the Chinese Medicine Education Association and Editorial Committee of Chinese Journal of Trauma organized the experts in the relevant fields to jointly develop Clinical guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of osteoporotic thoracolumbar vertebral fractures with kyphotic deformity in the elderly ( version 2024), based on evidence-based medical advancements and the principles of scientificity, practicality, and advanced nature, which provided 18 recommendations to standardize the clinical diagnosis and treatment.

Objective:To compare the efficacy of robot-assisted and conventional fluoroscopy-guided percutaneous vertebroplasty (PVP) combined with pediculoplasty in treating symptomatic chronic thoracolumbar osteoporotic vertebral fracture (SCOVF) without neurological symptoms.Methods:A retrospective cohort study was used to analyze the clinical data of 120 patients with thoracolumbar SCOVF without neurological symptoms, who were admitted to Honghui Hospital Affiliated to Xi′an Jiaotong University from January 2015 to January 2020. The patients included 34 males and 86 females, aged 63-85 years [(72.9±5.7)years]. All patients were treated with PVP combined with pediculoplasty. A total of 87 patients were treated with robot-assisted and C-arm X-ray machine guided puncture (robot group) and 33 patients with C-arm X-ray machine fluoroscopic-guided puncture (conventional group). The operation time, amount of bone cement injection and puncture accuracy were compared between the two groups. The results of vertebral body index, Cobb angle, visual analogue scale (VAS), and Oswestry disability index (ODI) were also compared before operation, at 1 day and 1 year after operation and at the final follow-up. Complications such as bone cement leakage and displacement were observed.Results:All patients were followed up for 24-36 months [(29.4±3.4)months]. The operation time was (85.2±10.5)minutes in the robot group, significantly longer than (37.2±3.7)minutes in the conventional group ( P<0.01). The amount of bone cement injection was (5.0±0.7)ml in the robot group, significantly less than (5.3±0.8)ml in the conventional group ( P<0.05). The puncture accuracy in the robot group was 95.4% (83/87), significantly higher than 81.8% (27/33) in the conventional group ( P<0.01). There were no significant differences in vertebral body index, Cobb angle, VAS or ODI between the two groups before operation (all P>0.05). The values of vertebral body index were 87.1±4.5, 86.9±4.3, 86.8±4.3 in the robot group at 1 day after operation, 1 year after operation and the final follow up, respectively, which were significantly higher than 83.6±4.4, 84.1±3.8, 84.4±3.9 in the conventional group (all P<0.01). There were no significant differences in Cobb angle or ODI between the two groups at 1 day after operation, 1 year after operation or the final follow-up (all P>0.05). The values of VAS were (2.9±1.0)points, (1.8±0.7)points, (1.8±0.7)points in the robot group at 1 day after operation, 1 year after operation and the final follow-up, respectively, which were significantly lower than (4.4±1.1)points, (3.1±0.8)points, (3.0±0.9)points in the conventional group (all P<0.01). The bone cement leakage occurred in 7 patients in the robot group [8.0%(7/87)] and in 10 in the conventional group [30.3%(10/33)] ( P<0.01). No delayed bone cement displacement [0.0%(0/87)] occurred in the robot group from 1 day after operation to the final follow-up, but 3 patients [9.1%(3/33)] were noted in the conventional group ( P<0.05). Conclusion:Both robot-assisted and conventional fluoroscopy-guided PVP combined with pediculoplasty have satisfactory effect for SCOVF patients without neurological impairment, but the robot-assisted one has the advantages of higher puncture accuracy, more satisfactory vertebral height recovery, more rapid pain relief, lower incidence of bone cement leakage and effective avoidance of cement displacement.

Objective:To test and evaluate the reliability and clinical effectiveness of osteoporotic thoracolumbar fracture (OTLF) scoring and classification system.Methods:A multicenter retrospective case series study was conducted to analyze the clinical data of 530 OTLF patients admitted to 8 hospitals including Honghui Hospital Affiliated to Xi'an Jiaotong University from January 2021 to June 2022. There were 212 males and 318 females, aged 55-90 years [(72.6±10.8)years]. There were 4 patients with grade C and 18 with grade D according to American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) classification. According to the osteoporotic thoracolumbar injury classification and severity (OTLICS) score, all patients had an OTLICS score over 4 points and required surgical treatment. Among them, 410 patients had acute symptomatic OTLF (ASOTLF), including 24 patients with type I, 159 type IIA, 47 type IIB, 31 type IIC, 136 type IIIA, 8 type IIIB, 2 type IV (absence of neurological symptoms) and 3 type IV (presence of neurological symptoms), and 120 patients had chronic symptomatic OTLF (CSOTLF), including 62 patients with type I, 21 type II, 17 type III, 3 type IV (reducible under general anesthesia), 9 type IV (not reducible under general anesthesia), 1 type V (reducible under general anesthesia), 5 type V (presence of neurological symptoms), and 2 type V (not reducible under general anesthesia). Surgical procedures included percutaneous vertebroplasty (PVP), positional repositioning plus PVP, percutaneous kyphoplasty (PKP), posterior open reduction combined with bone graft fusion and bone cement augmented screw internal fixation, posterior open reduction combined with decompression, bone graft fusion and bone cement augmented screw internal fixation, and posterior open reduction combined with osteotomy and orthopedics, bone graft fusion and bone cement augmented screw internal fixation. A weighted Kappa was used to test the interobserver and intraobserver reliability of the OTLICS score, the ASOTLF classification, and the CSOTLF classification. The visual analog scale (VAS), Oswestry disability index (ODI), ASIA classification were compared before, at 1 month after surgery and at the last follow-up. Incidence of postoperative complications was observed.Results:The percentage of mean interobserver agreement for OTLICS staging was 93.4%, with a mean confidence Kappa value of 0.86, and the percentage of mean intraobserver agreement was 93.0%, with a mean confidence kappa value of 0.86. The percentage of mean interobserver agreement for ASOTLF staging was 94.2%, with a mean confidence Kappa value of 0.84, and the percentage of mean intraobserver agreement was 92.5%, with a mean confidence Kappa value of 0.83. The percentage of mean interobserver agreement for CSOTLF subtyping was 91.9%, with a mean confidence Kappa value of 0.80, and the percentage of mean intraobserver agreement was 91.3%, with a mean confidence Kappa value of 0.81. All the patients were followed up for 6-12 months [(9.0±2.1)months]. The VAS and ODI scores were significantly lower in patients with ASOTLF and CSOTLF classifications at 1 month after surgery and at the last follow-up than those before surgery (all P<0.05). The VAS scores in patients with ASOTLF types IIA, IIB, IIC, IIIA, and IV were significantly lower at the last follow-up than that at 1 month after surgery; the ODI scores in patients with ASOTLF types I, IIA, IIB, IIIA, IIIB and IV were significantly lower at the last follow-up than those at 1 month after surgery. The VAS scores in patients with CSOTLF types II, III, IV, and V were significantly lower at the last follow-up than those at 1 month after surgery, and the ODI scores in patients with all CSOTLF types were significantly lower at the last follow-up than those at 1 month after surgery (all P<0.05). Two patients with ASIA grade C recovered to grade D, and the rest recovered to grade E at the last follow-up ( P<0.01). No major vessel or nerve injury or internal fixation failure was found during follow-up. There were 18 patients with cement leakage, none of whom showed relevant clinical symptoms. There were 35 patients with new vertebral fractures, all of whom recovered well after symptomatic treatment. Conclusions:The OTLICS score, ASOTLF classification and CSOTLF classification have a high degree of reliability. Application of stepwise treatment for patients with different levels of injury according to the scoring and classification system can reduce pain, promote recovery of the spinal function, and reduce complications, which is of some significance in guiding the selection of clinical treatment.

Objective:To discuss the curative effect between direct decompression and indirect decompression plus lumbo-iliac fixation for treatment of Denis type II sacrum fracture combined with sacral foraminal bone space-occupying lesion and sacral nerve injury.Methods:A retrospective case-control study was performed on clinical data of 47 patients with Denis type II sacrum fracture combined with sacral foraminal bone space-occupying lesion and sacral nerve injury admitted to Honghui Hospital Affiliated to Xi'an Jiaotong University School of Medicine from March 2012 to March 2017. All patients underwent lumbo-iliac internal fixation. The operation time ranged from 3 to 14 days after injury, with an average of 6 days. In direct decompression group ( n=26), the sacral foramina mass was removed during the operation and direct decompression was performed. There were 16 males and 10 females, with age of (36.2±8.4)years. In indirect decompression group ( n=21), indirect decompression through traction and distraction was performed. There were 11 males and 10 females, with the age of (38.7±9.8)years. Operation time, intraoperative blood loss, bone union, Mears imaging evaluation, Gibbons score, and Majeed function score were compared between the two groups. Postoperative complications were observed as well. Results:All patients were followed up for 1233 months, with an average of 16.7 months. The operation time and intraoperative blood loss in direct decompression group were (112.3±26.3)minutes and (512.1±29.4)ml, which had no significant differences in comparison with that in indirect decompression group [(129.3±25.1)minutes and (529.7±22.1)ml] ( P>0.05). Bone union was observed in all patients. According to the Mears imaging evaluation, the direct decompression group had anatomical reduction in 17 patients, and satisfactory reduction in 9, and the indirect decompression group had anatomical reduction in 15 patients and satisfactory reduction in 6 ( P>0.05). At the last follow-up, Gibbons score in direct decompression group was lower than that in the indirect decompression group [(1.2±0.3)points vs. (2.2±0.5)points] ( P<0.01); Majeed function score in direct decompression group was higher than that in indirect decompression group [(87.3±11.4)points vs. (68.5±16.7)points] ( P<0.01). In direct decompression group, 1 patient had deep wound infection, while in indirect decompression group, 1 patient had pressure sore due to the protrusion of the tail of the iliac screws on the skin. Conclusion:For Denis type II sacrum fracture combined with sacral foraminal bone space-occupying lesion and sacral nerve injury, direct decompression with lumbo-iliac fixation can obtain better neural functional recovery and functional recovery of life compared with the indirect decompression.

Objective To investigate the effect of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) on the differentiation of epidermal stem cells(ESCs) into nerve cells in rats.Methods The epidermal basal layer tissue of newborn SD rats (1-3 days) were isolated and obtained.ESCs were digested and isolated by rapid attachment to a substrate,and the morphology of ESCs was observed under an inverted microscope.ESCs were cuhured with Keratinocytes serum-free medium (K-SFM).The ESCs were grouped and treated according to the density including Group A:0.1 × 107/ml,Group B:0.3 × 107/ml.Group C:0.5 × 1 07/ml,Group D:0.1 × 106/ml,and each group was added bFGF (20 ng/ml).The changes of cell morphology were observed and counted for seven days.The changes of cell markers Nestin and NSE were detected by immunohistochenistry.Results The ESCs of SD rat were isolated successfully.After bFGF induction,the numbers of cells with morphological changes in Groups A and B were larger than those in other two groups in the first 6 days (P ＜ 0.05),and the number in Group A was the largest on the seventh day (P ＜ 0.05).On the third day,Group C had the largest number of cells with changes based on the comparison within the group.There was no change in cell morphology in Group D.Immunohistochemistry showed positive Nestin and NSE.Conclusion The bFGF helps induce the differentiation of ESCs into nerve cells,which is associated with the cell density.

Objective To investigate the effect of graded surgical treatment according to injury classification on old thoracolumbar vertebral compression fractures ( OVCFs) . Methods A retrospective case series study was conducted to analyze the clinical data of 238 patients with old thoracolumbar OVCFs admitted to the Honghui Hospital affiliated to the College of Medicine, Xi'an Jiaotong University from February 2013 to November 2016. There were 49 males and 189 females, aged 63-78 years, with an average age of 66. 8 years. The bone density T value was ( -3. 8 ± 0. 3)SD. The injured segments were located at T7-T9 in 35 patients, T10-L2 in 171, and L3-L4 in 32. A total of 16 patients had neurological injury, including 14 with grade C and two with grade D according to the American Spinal Injury Association ( ASIA) neurological function classification. According to the patient's clinical manifestations and imaging complexity, the patients were assigned with I to V grades for individualized surgical treatment. Among them, 86 patients with grade I were treated with vertebral augmentation; 60 patients with grade II received posterior reduction and internal fixation combined with vertebral augmentation when necessary;44 patients with grade III were treated with posterior decompression and reduction and internal fixation;30 patients with grade IV received posterior osteotomy and orthopedic fusion; 18 patients with grade V were treated based on the major symptoms. The visual analogue score ( VAS ) , Oswestry dysfunction index ( ODI) , vertebral sagittal index, and the American Spinal Injury Association ( ASIA) grading before operation and at the last follow-up as well as the postoperative complications were recorded. Results All patients were followed up for 12-38 months with an average of 18. 5 months. The VAS of patients with grade I to V improved from preoperative (8. 0 ± 0. 7)points, (8. 1 ± 0. 7)points, (8. 3 ± 0.89)points,(8.1±0.7)points,(8.2±0.2)pointsto(2.1±0.8)points,(2.0±0.8)points,(2.2± 0. 8)points, (2. 3 ± 0. 8)points, (2. 2 ± 0. 8)points at the last follow-up (P<0. 05);ODI was improved from preoperative 69. 5 ± 3. 0, 70. 1 ± 2. 0, 70. 3 ± 2. 1, 69. 9 ± 1. 9, 70. 0 ± 2. 2 to 39. 8 ± 2. 2, 39. 1 ± 2. 4, 40. 1 ± 2. 1, 39. 0 ± 2. 3, 39. 5 ± 2. 3 at the last follow-up (P<0. 05);the vertebral sagittal index improved from (89. 7 ± 2. 1)％, (74. 4 ± 8. 3)％, (75. 0 ± 6. 7)％, (72. 3 ± 5. 2)％, (71. 1 ± 2. 1)％to (85.2 ±7.4)％, (84.2 ±5.5)％, (85.1 ±4.4)％, (86.2 ±3.5)％, (83.4 ±1.7)％ (P<0.05). For 16 patients with nerve injury, the ASIA grading was improved from preoperative grade C in 14 patients and grade D in two patients to grade D in four patients and grade E in 12 patients at the last follow-up. A total of 11 patients ( seven patients with grade I, one with grade II, two with grade IV, and one patient with grade V) had vertebral height loss in the later stage, but only two patients underwent secondary surgery for severe low back pain. Conclusions For obsolete thoracolumbar OVCFs, the concept of graded surgery can effectively guide the treatment strategies of these patients. Different surgical schemes for patients with different conditions can effectively alleviate the pain, restore spinal stability, correct kyphosis deformity, relieve nerve compression and promote functional recovery.

Vertebral body augmentation for spine-related diseases has the advantages of minimally invasive surgery,obvious postoperative pain relief,and quick postoperative recovery compared with open surgery.It can quickly reconstruct spinal stability,relieve pain,and improve patients' quality of life.Intraoperative injection of bone cement into the diseased vertebral body carries the risk of bone cement leakage during the process.Knowing well the complications is helpful to the timely clinical treatment so as to avoid delays,and understanding the risk factors can facilitate targeted measures to prevent leakage during surgery.Therefore,to understand the consequences of bone cement leakage,leakage incidence rate,related risks factors and preventative measures is conducive to clinical treatment and surgery safety.The authors discuss the complications and risk factors related to bone cement leakage after vertebral body augmentation,in order to deepen the understanding of bone cement leakage,provide reference for clinical work,and improve the safety of surgery.

Objective To determine the clinical efficacy of limited internal fixation with posterior titanium plates for unstable atlas fractures.Methods A retrospective case series analysis was performed for 29 patients with unstable atlas fractures immobilized using the posterior titanium plate from January 2011 to November 2014.There were 22 males and seven females,with a mean age of 41.5 years (range,17-68 years).Ten patients were diagnosed with 1/2 ring Jefferson fractures,12 anterior 1/2 Jefferson fractures and seven patients posterior 3/4 Jefferson fractures.Frankel neurological performance scale was grade E in all patients.Operation time,amount of bleeding during operation and postoperative complications were recorded.X-ray and CT were performed to identify the fusion,internal fixation location and atlantoaxial stability.Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) for craniocervical pain and cervical range of motion were evaluated.Results Mean duration of procedure was (86.6 ± 7.8) min (range,68-122 min) and mean blood loss was (120.0 ± 25.3) ml (range,90-400 ml).No vascular and neurologic complications were noted.All patients were followed up for (22.5 ± 18.0)months (range,12-32 months).CT scans confirmed bony union in all patients 6 months after operation.No plate-related complications,implant lessening and implant breakage occurred during the follow-up.Postoperative VAS [(1.9 ± 1.1) points] was significantly lower than that before operation [(7.2 ± 1.4) points] (P ＜ 0.05).At the last follow-up,the ranges of cervical flexion-extension [(81.3 ± 22.2) °] and rotation [(152.4 ±38.7) °] were close to the normal range.Conclusion Limited internal fixation with posterior titanium plates is a safe and effective surgical method that contributes to good reduction and maximal preservation of cervical physiological motion.

Objective To compare the efficacy of KumaFix posterior spinal screw/rod system (KumaFix system) and posterior U-shape screw/rod system for treatment of thoracolumbar vertebral body fractures.Methods A total of 131 patients with thoracolumbar vertebral body fractures treated from January 2011 to July 2011 were prospectively analyzed.All patients showed thoracolumbar injury classification and severity score (TLICS) more than 5 points and spinal load-sharing classification (LSC) score of 4-6.The patients were assigned to two groups according to the coin toss method:group A (n =72,treated with reduction and fixation with KumaFix system in combination with transpedicular bone grafting of fractured vertebrae) and group B (n =59,submitted to posterior reduction and fixation with U-shaped screw/rod system in combination with transpedicular bone grafting of fractured vertebrae).In group A,there were 41 male and 31 female patients at age of (41.2 ± 4.9) years (range,20-53 years).In group B,there were 33 male and 26 female patients at age of(40.6 ± 4.5)years (range,21-51 years).The two groups were analyzed and compared in aspects of operation time,blood loss,anterior vertebral height ratio,middle vertebral height ratio,posterior vertebral height ratio,kyphosis angle,Oswestry disability index (ODI) and incidence of adjacent segment degeneration.Results All patients were followed up for mean 5.3 years (range,5.1-5.8 years).Operation time and blood loss were (72.5 ±21.8)rain and (320.6 ±90.0)ml in group A,less than (104.3 ±20.7)min and (421.0 ± 84.5) ml in group B (P ＜ 0.05).Both groups achieved obvious improvements in anterior vertebral height ratio,middle vertebral height ratio,posterior vertebral height ratio and kyphosis angle after operation(P ＜ 0.05).At the last follow-up,the middle vertebral height ratio was (92.0 ± 2.8) ％ in group A,better than (84.1 ± 5.1) ％ in group B (P ＜ 0.05).Both groups showed improvement in ODI after operation (P ＜ 0.05).At the last follow-up,ODI and incidence of adjacent segment degeneration were 11.9 ± 7.1 and 0 in group A,decreased compared to 20.9 ± 6.7 and 12％ in group B (P ＜ 0.05).Conclusions For thoracolumbar vertebral body fractures,the KumaFix system has better reduction effect than U-shape screw/rod system.Meanwhile,the KumaFix system can avoid negative effect.