Objective To systematically evaluate the economic burden of echinococcosis patients in western China using meta-analysis, so as to provide insights into formulation of effective echinococcosis control strategies and optimization of medical resource allocation. Methods Articles pertaining to the economic burden of echinococcosis patients in western China were retrieved in international and Chinese databases, including PubMed, Web of Science, CNKI, Wanfang Data, and VIP Chinese Science and Technology Periodicals Full-Text Database. Studies were screened according to inclusion and exclusion criteria, and the basic characteristics of included articles, characteristics of included studies, and echinococcosis patients’ economic burden were extracted. A meta-analysis was performed using the software R package. The pooled effect size and heterogeneity were examined using a random effects model, and subgroup analyses were conducted. Results A total of 13 articles were enrolled, including 12 Chinese publications and one English publication, and all were retrospective studies. Included studies covered 4 western provinces (autonomous regions) of China, including Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Sichuan Province, and Qinghai Province, which involved 11 282 echinococcosis patients, and the study period spanned from 2006 to 2023. Meta-analysis showed that the pooled direct medical costs of echinococcosis patients were 24 730 [95% confidence interval (CI): (13 040, 36 430)] Yuan in endemic areas of western China, appearing a significant heterogeneity (I² = 79.95%, P < 0.01). Subgroup analyses showed the pooled direct medical costs of 9 090 [95% CI: (-4 970, 23 150)] Yuan for echinococcosis patients in Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region and 18 140 [95% CI: (8 440, 27 840)] Yuan in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, and pooled direct medical costs of 9 470 [95% CI: (-1 850, 20 790)] Yuan for cystic echinococcosis patients prior to 2007 and 15 270 [95% CI: (560, 24 030)] Yuan after 2007, respectively. There were high heterogeneities in the pooled direct medical costs for echinococcosis patients in terms of date of publication (I² = 82.05%, P < 0.001), treatment modality (I² = 83.28%, P < 0.001) and type of echinococcosis (I² = 72.63%, P < 0.001). In addition, the pooled indirect medical costs and direct non-medical costs were 5 670 Yuan and 4 000 Yuan for echinococcosis patients in western regions of China, respectively. Conclusions Echinococcosis patients suffer from a high economic burden in endemic areas of western China, and there are disparities in the direct medical costs for echinococcosis patients depending on disease type, study areas and study period.

Objective:To investigate the safety and feasibility of the occipital condyle screw and evaluate the safepath parameters for the occipital condyle screw.Methods:Data of 64 patients with upper cervical computed tomographic angiograms from September 2016 to September 2018 were retrospectively collected. Excluded occipito-cervical injury, tumor, and vertebral artery course variation. Mimics software was used to reconstruct the occiput, atlas and vertebral artery. Three candidate entry points were placed for each occipital condyle, the midpoint of posterior of occipital condyle as middle entry point, and the medial and lateral entry points were located 3 mm medial and lateral to the middle entry point. The vertebral artery-occipital bone distance (VOD) of each entry point were measured on sagittal plane, and the minimum feasible value was determined to be 4mm. After that 3.5 mm diameter virtual screw was inserted into each candidate entry point with VOD>4 mm, each screw with maximum and minimum cranial angulation was combined with appropriate medial angulation to get the maximum screw length. Then, the screw placement parameters were measured by 3-Matic, and the safe range of cranial angulation and the success rate of screw placement were calculated.Results:The VOD of medial and middle entry point were 8.07±2.13 mm and 7.70±2.19 mm respectively, and the feasibility rate of screw placement of those entry point were 97.7% and 96.1%, respectively. There were significant differences inVOD and feasibility rate of screw placement between medial and middle entry point. The VOD of lateral entry point was 5.63±1.66 mm, and the feasibility rate was only 78.9%, which was significantly lower than that of medial and middle entry point. The lateral entry point could obtain a larger medial angulation, which was supplemented by a longer screw length. The medial angulation and length of screw gradually decreased with the inward movement of the entry point. There were significant differences in medial angulation and screw length among groups. The safe range of cranial angulation of medial, middle and lateral entry points were 8.17°±2.55°, 12.58°±4.23° and 12.09°±3.83°, respectively, and the difference were statistically significant. Among the screw entry point that could accommodate screw fixation, the maximum screw placement success rate can be obtained by adding 5° cranial angulation to the lateral and middle entry point, which were 98.02% and 98.37%, respectively,while 100% success rate of screw placement could be obtained at the medial entry point at 3° cranial angulation.Conclusion:In the selection of the entry point in the horizontal direction, middle and medial entry points have higher success rate of screw placement and wider safe range of cranial angulation because of less affection of horizontal segment of the vertebral artery. However, the screw length of medial entry point is much shorter than middle and lateral entry point. As a result, the middle entry point may be an optimal entry point for the occipital condyle screw.