ABSTRACT
<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>Laminectomy is a major method to treat lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS), but it has lots of flaws such as scar tissue can form around the dura again or spinal instability. This study aimed to investigate the feasibility of transverse rotation laminoplasty (TRL) in the treatment of LSS.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The mimic operations of TRL were performed both in the computerized image processing and on the lumbar specimen. Computed tomography (CT) images were either collected from 80 clinical patients with complaints of lumbago or obtained from 40 sets of lumbar specimens after rebuild of spinal canals. In the CT image processing the heights of the spinous process and laminae at L3-L5 were measured. The total length of the spinous process plus one side laminae after the operation was evaluated and compared with the length of inner margin of pedical before the operation. The areas of the vertebral canal were examined before and after the operation.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>In the CT images, the height of spinous process of L3, L4 and L5 was 24.74 ± 3.45, 22.68 ± 5.96 and 21.54 ± 4.12 mm respectively, and that of laminae was 23.66 ± 2.32, 22.68 ± 5.36 and 20.99 ± 3.67 mm respectively (P > 0.05). Distance of inner border of pedical of L3, L4 and L5 was 23.01 ± 6.59, 24.65 ± 5.54 and 26.03 ± 7.34 mm respectively, and length of spinous process with laminae of those was 29.76 ± 4.91, 29.31 ± 6.43 and 32.53 ± 5.76 mm respectively (P < 0.05). Preoperative area of spinal canals of L3, L4 and L5 was 299.81 ± 10.09, 297.66 ± 9.54 and 308.22 ± 10.04 mm2 respectively, and postoperative area was 480.01 ± 9.33, 487.32 ± 8.65 and 501.03 ± 9.12 mm2 respectively (P < 0.05). In the human lumbar vertebrae specimen, the data similar to the former.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>The excised canal posterior was covered, and the lumbar canals enlarged by TRL. The TRL provided a new alternative in the treatment of LSS.</p>
Subject(s)
Adolescent , Adult , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Young Adult , Lumbar Vertebrae , Diagnostic Imaging , Spinal Stenosis , Diagnosis , Diagnostic Imaging , Tomography, X-Ray ComputedABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the metabolic changes of auditory cortex in patients with presbycusis by using proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy ((1)H-MRS).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Ten normal hearing volunteers (youth group), 10 normal hearing of elderly (aged group) and 8 patients with presbycusis (presbycusis group) were checked with proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy. N-acetylaspartic acid (NAA), creatine (Cr), choline (Cho), γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), glutamic acid (Glu) compound were measured. The differences between the groups were semi-quantitatively analyzed.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>When compared with youth group, reduced NAA/Cr, increased Cho/Cr were found in the aged group and presbycusis group (P < 0.05). GABA/Cr ratio and Glu/Cr ratio were significant difference between presbycusis group and youth group (P < 0.05). There were no significant difference in the GABA/Cr and Glu/Cr ratios in the bilateral auditory cortex between the youth group and the aged group (P > 0.05). When compared with aged group, the metabolic changes of auditory cortex in patients with presbycusis were remarkable (P < 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>(1)H-MRS is a noninvasive technique that can provide useful information concerning the metabolic changes of auditory cortex in human. In comparison to the aged group and the youth group, the changes of NAA, GABA, Cho and Glu is found in auditory cortex in patients with presbycusis.</p>