Comparative study between 3D guide plate assisted and free-hand insertion of anterior cervical transpedicular screw / 中国骨伤

OBJECTIVE@#To compare accuracy of anterior cervical pedicle screws between assist of rapid prototyping 3D guide plate and free-hand insertion, and evaluate the safety of two methods.@*METHODS@#Eight adult cervical cadaver specimens after formaldehyde immersion, including 4 males and 4 females, aged 32 to 65(40.3±5.6) years old. After X-ray examination to exclude bone damage and deformity, 4 of them (3D guide plate group) randomly selected were for CT scan to obtain DICOM format data, and the data was imported into Mimics software for model, designed the ideal entry point and nail path for anterior cervicaltranspedicular screw (ATPS). After obtaining the personalized guide plate of the nail channel, it was exported as STL data, and the individual guide plate was printed by rapid prototyping and 3D printing technology. In turn, with the assistance of 3D guide plates, one-to-one personalized ATPS screws were placed on the four lower cervical cadaver specimens. Another 4 (free-hand group) lower cervical cadaver specimens were implanted with ATPS screws using free-hand technique. All specimens were performed CT thin-layer scanning and three-dimensional reconstruction after operation. The Tomasino method was used to evaluate the safety of the screws on the CT cross-sectional and sagittal images, to determine whether there was a cortical puncture of the lower and inner edges of the pedicle. According to the CT rating results, gradeⅠandⅡwere safe, and grade Ⅲ- Ⅴ were dangerous.And the accuracy of screws was recorded and analyzed between two groups.@*RESULTS@#Two screws were inserted in each segment from C@*CONCLUSION@#The 3D printing rapid prototyping guide plate assisted insertion of the anterior cervical pedicle screw can significantly improve the accuracy and safety, and provide a theoretical basis for further clinical application.

Clinical analysis of vascular anomalies: a hospital-based retrospective study of 592 patients in southeast China / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>Vascular anomalies are common and multidisciplinary involved diseases. The greatest impediment to their treatment in the past was their confusing terminology and clinical heterogeneities. This hospital-based retrospective study assessed some clinical characteristics, diagnosis, therapies and outcomes of patients with vascular anomalies in southeast China.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A total of 592 vascular anomalies patients (patients with intracranial tissues or viscera involved were excluded), admitted to the First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University from January 2006 to September 2009, were enrolled in the study. Data for clinical characteristics, diagnosis, therapies and outcomes were collected and analyzed.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Of the 592 patients, the male:female ratios in the vascular tumor group (n = 187) and the vascular malformation group (n = 405) were 1:1.49 and 1:1.06 respectively, with no significant difference between them. The mean onset age of the vascular tumor group was significantly younger than that of the vascular malformation group (p < 0.001). The head and neck were the most commonly (31.4%) involved areas in vascular anomalies. A total of 23.8% of the patients with vascular anomalies had definite symptoms caused by the vascular lesions. In the vascular tumor group, 94.1% of them were infantile hemangiomas. Venous malformation was the most common (41.0%) subtype of vascular malformations. Surgical therapy was undertaken in 94.2% of the patients with vascular anomalies. Of the 519 patients available for the 16 - 58 month follow-up, 322 patients (62.0%) were cured, 108 patients (20.8%) were markedly improved, 57 patients (11.0%) were partially improved, and 32 patients (6.2%) were uncured.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Vascular anomalies are clinically heterogeneous. While the outcome is generally favorable, further effort should be made to determine the appropriate terminology and management.</p>

Culture and identification of breast cancer stem cells / 南方医科大学学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To isolate breast cancer stem cells from breast cancer patients and identify their biological characteristics.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Mammospheric cells were purified and enriched from the tumor tissues of breast cancer patients using mammosphere culture. Their expressions of CD44 and CD24 were analyzed by flow cytometry, and ALDH1, ESA and Oct4 expressions were determined by Western Blotting. The primary mammospheric and adherent cells, at the density of 2×10(4), 2×10(5) or 2×10(6), were inoculated into NOD/SCID mice to observe their tumorigenic and metastatic activities.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>With mammosphere culture method, 62.36% of the mammospheric cells showed CD44(+)/CD24(-/low) phenotype. The expressions of ALDH1, ESA and Oct4 in the mammospheric cells were significantly higher than those in the adherent culture-derived breast cancer cells (P<0.05). Primary mammospheric cells were at least 100-fold more tumorigenic than the adherent cells; the mammospheric cells were associated with liver or lung metastases, but the adherent cells were not.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Mammosphere culture can be employed to obtain breast cancer stem cells from the tumor tissues of breast cancer patients.</p>