Objective:To investigate the efficacy of microscopic decompression in degenerative lumbar spinal stenosis (DLSS) under single percutaneous tubular retractor system.Methods:A retrospective analysis was performed; 117 DLSS patients with imaging manifestations as non-segmental lumbar instability, admitted to Department of Neurosurgery, 900 th Hospital of PLA Joint Logistics Team from October 2018 to April 2023 were enrolled consecutively. These patients failed in strict conservative treatment and then changed to posterior lumbar spinal canal and nerve root decompression by microscopy and percutaneous tubular retractor system. These patients were followed up for 6-50 months. Pain visual analogue score (VAS) and lumbar Oswestry dysfunction index (ODI) were recorded and results of X-rays, CT and MRI of lumbar spines were analyzed 1 d before and 1 week after decompression and at the last follow-up. Modified MacNab criteria were used to evaluate the efficacy at the last follow-up. Results:Among the 117 patients, unilateral laminectomy for unilateral decompression was performed in 56 patients (47.9%) and unilateral laminotomy for bilateral decompression in 61 (52.1%). Single segment decompression was performed in 109 patients (93.2%) and double segment decompression in 8 (6.8%). Dural sac rupture occurred in 4 patients (3.5%), and immediate occlusion was given; no cerebrospinal fluid leakage was noted after decompression. All patients did not experience obvious nerve damage during decompression or intervertebral infection/lumbar instability after decompression. After 18 (13, 24) months of follow-up, VAS scores of the patients at the last follow-up decreased from (5.96±0.85) 1 d before decompression and (1.75±0.61) 1 week after decompression to (1.01±0.59), and lumbar ODI decreased from (63.22±8.33)% 1 d before decompression and (17.66±5.20)% 1 week after decompression to (10.64±3.44)%, with significant differences ( P<0.05). At the last follow-up, modified MacNab criteria indicated 46 patients (39.3%) as excellent, 66 (56.4%) as good, 3 (2.6%) as fair, and 2 (1.7%) as poor, with an excellent/good therapeutic rate of 95.7%. Conclusion:For surgical treatment of DLSS patients without evidenced preoperative spinal instability, personalized unilateral or bilateral spinal canal decompression under microscope by combiningsingle percutaneous tubular retractor system can effectively reduce surgical trauma and achieve satisfactory surgical results.

Objective:To compare the morphological differences of psoas major muscles between patients with lumbar disc herniation (LDH) of lower limb pain and lumbocrural pain based on CT imaging data.Methods:Sixty patients with LDH admitted to Department of Neurosurgery, 900 th Hospital of PLA Joint Logistic Team from January 2012 to February 2023 were included. According to clinical symptoms, they were divided into lower limb pain group and lumbocrural pain group ( n=30). 3D CT images of the psoas major muscles in the 2 groups were reconstructed; the longest transverse axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the psoas major muscle was chosen as the cross-sectional area, and the maximum psoas major muscle cross-sectional area was calculated; maximum psoas major muscle cross-sectional area index (PI max) was defined as ratio of maximum psoas major muscle cross-sectional area and L 5 vertebral cross-sectional area. PI max difference between lower limb pain group and lumbocrural pain group was compared; PI max difference among patients with different pain degrees (visual analog scale [VAS] scores) or pain courses was further compared in both lower limb pain group and lumbocrural pain group. Pearson correlation was used to analyze the correlations of PI max with pain degree and pain course in the 2 groups. Results:PI max in lower limb pain group was significantly larger than that in lumbocrural pain group (0.62±0.05 vs. 0.54±0.04, t=7.320, P<0.001). PI max in patients with severe pain from both lower limb pain group and lumbocrural pain group was significantly smaller than that in patients with moderate pain (0.61±0.05 vs. 0.65±0.04, t=2.422, P=0.022; 0.53±0.03 vs. 0.58±0.04, t=3.502, P=0.002). PI max in patients with short pain course from both lower limb pain group and lumbocrural pain group was significantly larger than that in patients with long pain course (0.64±0.05 vs. 0.59±0.04, t=2.570, P=0.016; 0.57±0.04 vs. 0.53±0.03, t=2.941, P=0.007). Pearson correlation showed that PI max was negatively correlated with pain degree and pain course in LDH patients from both groups ( P<0.05). Conclusion:Atrophy of psoas major muscles in LDH patients is aggravated with increased pain degree and pain course.

Objective:To explore the effects of hypoxia on traumatic brain swelling (TBS) in rats with acute subdural hematoma (ASDH).Methods:Forty-five SD rats were divided into 5 groups according to the random number table method, with 9 rats in each group: sham surgery normal oxygen group which underwent sham surgical procedures and were placed in a closed container with ventilation, sham surgery hypoxia group which underwent sham surgical procedures and were placed in a closed container with oxygen volume fraction of 8% for hypoxia induction, ASDH normal oxygen group which made into the ASDH model and placed in a closed container with ventilation, ASDH hypoxia group were made into the ASDH models and placed in a closed container with oxygen volume fraction of 8% for hypoxia induction, and ASDH hypoxia+oxygen inhalation group which inhaled oxygen continuously with oxygen volume fraction of 40% after being made into the ASDH models and induced for hypoxia. Six rats were selected from each group immediately after the modeling and craniotomy was performed to observe the brain swelling during the surgery and evaluate the degree of TBS. Microvascular blood flow was observed by laser speckle imaging system before modeling, before craniotomy, and immediately after craniotomy. The remaining 3 rats in each group were killed directly after modeling and brain tissue specimens were collected. The expression levels of pericellular protein α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) and platelet-derived growth factor receptor-β (PDGFR-β) at 0, 30 and 60 minutes after modeling were detected through Western blot analysis. The expression levels of α-SMA, PDGFR-β and microvascular marker platelet-endothelial cell adhesion molecule 31 (CD31) at 0 minute after modeling were tested through immunofluorescent staining.Results:No brain bulge was observed in the sham surgery normal oxygen group. The height of brain bulge in sham surgery hypoxia group was 0.5(0.0, 1.0)mm, with no significant difference from that in the sham surgery normal oxygen group ( P>0.05); it was 2.2(2, 2.5)mm in the ASDH normal oxygen group, significantly higher than that in the sham surgery normal oxygen group and sham surgery hypoxia group ( P<0.01), it was 3.1(2.9, 3.2)mm in the ASDH hypoxia group, significantly higher than that in the sham surgery normal oxygen group, sham surgery hypoxia group and ASDH normal oxygen group ( P<0.01); it was 2.8(2.7, 2.9)mm in the ASDH hypoxia+oxygen inhalation group, not statistically different from that in the ASDH hypoxia group ( P>0.05), but significantly increased compared with that in the sham surgery normal oxygen group, sham surgery hypoxia group and ASDH normal oxygen group ( P<0.01). Before modeling, before craniotomy and after craniotomy, the microvascular blood flow was 224.2±49.7, 224.8±50.3, 225.1±50.3 respectively in the sham surgery normal oxygen group and 224.7±43.7, 220.9±45.9, 221.8±45.5 respectively in the sham surgery hypoxia group, with no significant difference between the two groups ( P>0.05); it was 226.5±52.7, 173.4±40.7, 172.0±40.7 respectively in the ASDH normal oxygen group, significantly decreased compared with that in the sham surgery normal oxygen group and sham surgery hypoxia group ( P<0.05); it was 225.7±46.4, 131.4±23.6 and 131.0±23.5 respectively in the ASDH hypoxia group, significantly decreased compared with that in the sham surgery normal oxygen group, sham surgery hypoxia group and ASDH normal oxygen group ( P<0.05); it was 226.2±56.1, 132.6±21.7 and 131.7±21.9 respectively in ASDH hypoxia+oxygen inhalation group, significantly decreased compared with that in the sham surgery normal oxygen group, sham surgery hypoxia group and ASDH normal oxygen group ( P<0.05), with no significant difference from that in the ASDH hypoxia group ( P>0.05). At 0, 30 and 60 minutes after modeling, the expression levels of α-SMA and PDGFR-β were 0.70±0.02, 0.67±0.01, 0.55±0.05 and 0.65±0.03, 0.56±0.03 and 0.59±0.02 respectively in the sham surgery normal oxygen group and were 0.63±0.04, 0.60±0.01 0.55±0.05 and 0.62±0.01, 0.51±0.01 and 0.60±0.02 respectively in the sham surgery hypoxia group, with no significant difference between the two groups ( P>0.05); they were 0.88±0.06, 0.87±0.05, 0.82±0.03 and 0.85±0.03, 0.85±0.03, 0.88±0.04 respectively in the ASDH normal oxygen group, significantly higher than those in the sham surgery normal oxygen group and sham surgery hypoxia group ( P<0.01); they were 1.19±0.08, 1.10±0.10, 0.97±0.04 and 1.04±0.06, 1.19±0.07, 1.27±0.08 respectively in the ASDH hypoxia group, significantly higher than those in sham surgery normal oxygen group, sham surgery hypoxia group and ASDH normal oxygen group ( P<0.05 or 0.01); they were 1.20±0.07, 1.10±0.04, 0.96±0.04 and 1.04±0.05, 1.15±0.11, 1.20±0.07 respectively in ASDH hypoxia+oxygen inhalation group, significantly higher than those in sham surgery normal oxygen group, sham surgery normal group and ASDH normal oxygen group ( P<0.01), but with no significant difference from those in ASDH hypoxia group ( P>0.05). At 0 minute after modeling, the fluorescence expression of α-SMA and PDGFR-β was weaker in the sham surgery normal oxygen group and the fluorescence expression of CD31 was stronger. There was no significant difference in the fluorescence expressions of α-SMA, PDGFR-β and CD31 between the sham surgery hypoxia group and sham surgery normal oxygen group. The fluorescence expressions of α-SMA and PDGFR-β in the ASDH normal oxygen group were stronger than those in the sham surgery normal oxygen group and sham surgery hypoxia group, while the fluorescence expression of CD31 was weaker. The fluorescence expressions of α-SMA and PDGFR-β in ASDH hypoxia group were stronger than those in the sham surgery normal oxygen group, sham surgery hypoxia group and ASDH normal oxygen group, while the fluorescence expression of CD31 was weaker. The fluorescence expressions of α-SMA and PDGFR-β in the ASDH hypoxia+oxygen inhalation group were stronger than those in the sham surgery normal oxygen group, sham surgery hypoxia group and ASDH normal oxygen group, while the fluorescence expression of CD31 was weaker, with no significant difference from the fluorescence expressions of α-SMA, PDGFR-β and CD31 in ASDH hypoxia group. Conclusions:Hypoxia in ASDH rats will stimulate pericytes contraction, which causes cerebral microcirculatory disturbance, thus leading to TBS. Short-term inhalation of oxygen of medium concentration cannot dilate pericytes or microcirculation vessels, with no obvious effect on improving the conditions of TBS.

Objective:To explore the influencing factors for poor prognosis in patients with severe traumatic brain injury (TBI).Methods:A retrospective analysis was performed; the clinical data of 389 patients with severe TBI admitted to Department of Neurosurgery, 900 th Hospital of PLA Joint Logistics Team from January 2018 to December 2022 were collected. Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOS) was used to evaluate the prognoses 6 months after discharge. Differences in clinical data between the good prognosis group (GOS scores of 4-5) and poor prognosis group (GOS scores of 1-3) were compared. Multivariate Logistic regression was used to analyze the independent influencing factors for poor prognosis in severe TBI patients, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to analyze the predictive value of the regression model in severe TBI patients. Results:At 6 months after discharge, 182 patients (46.8%) had favorable prognosis and 207 patients (53.2%) had unfavorable prognosis. Compared with the good prognosis group, the poor prognosis group had significantly older age, lower Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) scores, higher proportions of patients with subdural hematoma (SDH), cerebral hernia, cerebral infarction and encephalocele, higher blood glucose, lower albumin, lower K +, Ca 2+ and CO 2, higher international normalized ratio (INR) and C-reactive protein (CRP), lower lymphocyte/monocyte ratio (LMR), and higher neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and systemic immunoinflammatory index (SII, P<0.05). Multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that age ( OR=1.045, 95% CI: 1.025-1.066, P<0.001), GCS score ( OR=0.487, 95% CI: 0.388-0.612, P<0.001), cerebral hernia ( OR=3.471, 95% CI: 1.604-7.511, P=0.002), blood glucose ( OR=1.109, 95% CI: 1.010-1.218, P=0.030), INR ( OR=8.073, 95% CI: 1.199-54.354, P=0.032) and high SII ( OR=8.311, 95% CI: 4.089-16.892, P<0.001) were independent influencing factors for poor prognosis in severe TBI patients. ROC curve showed that area under the curve of the regression model predicting poor prognosis in severe TBI patients was 0.935 (95% CI: 0.905-0.957, P<0.001), enjoying sensitivity of 88.89% and specificity of 85.16%. Conclusion:Severe TBI patients with advanced age, low GCS score, high INR and SII, elevated blood glucose, or cerebral hernia have poor prognosis.

Tumor heterogeneity is one of the characteristics of malignant tumors, which refers to the molecular biology or genetic changes in the daughter cells of tumors after multiple division and proliferation during the growth process, resulting in changes in tumor growth rate, invasion ability, drug sensitivity, and prognoses. Pituitary adenomas (PAs) are generally considered as benign tumors without obvious heterogeneity, but the identification of reliable heterogeneity markers still plays a key role in clinical diagnosis and treatment. In clinical practice, the heterogeneity of parenchymal PAs includes differences in imaging findings, histopathological findings, and molecular information. This article reviews the research results in PAs heterogeneity so as to provide better enlightenment for clinical research and practice.

Objective:To investigate the efficacy of posterior cervical spinal nerve root decompression under microscope and percutaneous tubular retractor system in cervical spondylotic radiculopathy (CSR).Methods:A total of 38 patients with CSR, admitted to Department of Neurosurgery, 900 th Hospital of PLA Joint Logistics Team from September 2019 to October 2022 were enrolled consecutively. These patients failed in strict conservative treatment and then changed to posterior cervical spinal nerve root decompression under microscope and percutaneous tubular retractor system. The patients were followed up for (15.71±7.50) months, ranging from 3 to 36 months. The pain visual analogue scale (VAS) and Japanese Orthopedic Association (JOA) scores were recorded and the results of X-ray, CT and MRI of cervical spines were analyzed 1 d before decompression, before discharge and at the last follow-up. C 2-7 sagittal vertical axis (SVA) was measured and compared on CT reconstruction images before decompression and at the last follow-up. The clinical efficacy of these patients was determined according to the formula of improvement rate=([JOA at the last follow-up-preoperative JOA]/[17-preoperative JOA])×100%: 100% improvement rate was defined as cure, improvement rate>60% as significant effect, 25%

Pituitary neuroendocrine tumors (PitNETs) are benign tumors arising from the adenohypophysis and can destroy the surrounding dura mater and invade adjacent structures. Dural invasion, as an important biological manifestation of PitNETs invasiveness and an important basis for PitNETs pathological classification, has become an important part in invasive study of PitNETs. In this paper, the research progress of dural invasion of PitNETs carried out at home and abroad in recent years has been reviewed from aspects of anatomical structure, imaging manifestations and histopathology, and the latest results of dural invasion in PitNETs invasion are summarized.

Pituitary neuroendocrine tumors (PitNETs) are the second common central nervous system tumors. Patients often present with headache, vision loss, visual field defects, and cognitive dysfunction. Cognitive function is the ability of the brain to acquire, analyze and process external information; once the patient has serious cognitive dysfunction, it will bring heavy burden to the family and society. This article summarizes the cognitive functions in patients with PitNETs from perspectives of hormone, anatomical structures around the pituitary, tumor volume, treatment, and cognitive function assessment, in order to provide research ideas in elucidating relevant mechanisms in the future and provide basis for formulating rehabilitation plans for patients.

Objective:To investigate the role of NG2 cells in generating and maintaining neuropathic pain in rats after spinal cord injury (SCI).Methods:According to random number table method, 100 healthy adult male SD rats were divided into control group ( n=20, without any intervention), sham-operated group ( n=40, exposed T 10 segment without spinal cord impact) and SCI group ( n=40, exposed T 10 segment and constructed SCI model by improved Allen's method). One d before, and 14, 21 and 28 d after surgery, Von Frey fiber probe was used to detect the rat hindlimb mechanical withdrawal threshold (MWT); immunofluorescent staining was used to detect the proportion of NG2-positive cells in spinal dorsal horn cells; Western blotting was used to detect chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan (CSPG) expression in spinal dorsal horn of rats. Results:Fourteen, 21 and 28 d after surgery, SCI group had significantly lower hindlimb MWT, and significantly higher proportion of NG2-positive cells in spinal dorsal horn cells and CSPG expression in spinal dorsal horn than control group and sham-operated group ( P<0.05). One d before, and 14, 21 and 28 d after surgery, in SCI group, hindlimb MWT decreased firstly and increased secondly, proportion of NG2-positive cells in spinal dorsal horn cells increased firstly and decreased secondly, and CSPG expression in spinal dorsal horn increased firstly and decreased secondly. Except for those 21 and 28 d after surgery, hindlimb MWT, proportion of NG2-positive cells in spinal dorsal horn cells, and CSPG expression in spinal dorsal horn showed significant differences between each two time points ( P<0.05). In SCI group, hindlimb MWT was negatively correlated with proportion of NG2-positive cells in spinal dorsal horn cells ( r=-0.876, P<0.001), and CSPG expression was positively correlated with proportion of NG2-positive cells in spinal dorsal horn cells ( r=0.927, P<0.001). Conclusion:NG2 cell proliferation and increased CSPG expression secreted by NG2 cells in spinal cord tissues after SCI generate and maintain neuropathic pain.

Posttraumatic acute diffuse brain swelling (PADBS) is a relatively common severe traumatic brain injury (TBI). Since it can lead to acute intracranial hypertension in a short time, the illness can be acute and critical, with a high disability and fatality rate. The pathogenesis of PADBS is still unclear, with the current theory consisting of acute cerebral vasodilation, cerebral edema and intracranial venous circulation disorder. For PADBS, there is still a lack of unified diagnostic criteria, and the indications and timing of decompression craniectomy remain controversial. The authors review the research progress in the pathogenesis, diagnosis and treatment of PADBS, hoping to provide some new ideas for its treatment.