Effectiveness analysis of posterolateral approach lumbar interbody fusion assisted by one-hole split endoscope for L4, 5 degenerative lumbar spondylolisthesis / 中国修复重建外科杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To compare the effectiveness of posterolateral approach lumbar interbody fusion assisted by one-hole split endoscope (OSE) and traditional posterior lumbar interbody fusion (PLIF) in the treatment of L4, 5 degenerative lumbar spondylolisthesis (DLS).@*METHODS@#The clinical data of 58 patients with DLS who met the selection criteria admitted between February 2020 and March 2022 were retrospectively analyzed, of which 26 were treated with OSE-assisted posterolateral approach lumbar interbody fusion (OSE group) and 32 were treated with PLIF (PLIF group). There was no significant difference between the two groups in terms of gender, age, body mass index, Meyerding grade, lower limb symptom side, decompression side, stenosis type, and preoperative low back pain visual analogue scale (VAS) score, leg pain VAS score, Oswestry disability index (ODI), and the height of the anterior and posterior margins of the intervertebral space (P>0.05). The operation time, intraoperative blood loss, postoperative hospital stay, and complications were compared between the two groups. The low back pain and leg pain VAS scores and ODI before operation, at 1 month, 6 months after operation, and last follow-up, the height of anterior and posterior margins of the intervertebral space before operation, at 6 months after operation, and last follow-up, the modified MacNab criteria at last follow-up after operation were used to evaluate the effectiveness; and the Bridwell method at last follow-up was used to evaluate the interbody fusion.@*RESULTS@#Both groups successfully completed the operation. Compared with the PLIF group, the OSE group showed a decrease in intraoperative blood loss and postoperative hospital stay, but an increase in operation time, with significant differences (P<0.05). In the OSE group, no complication such as nerve root injury and thecal sac tear occurred; in the PLIF group, there were 1 case of thecal sac tear and 1 case of epidural hematoma, which were cured after conservative management. Both groups of patients were followed up 13-20 months with an average of 15.5 months. There was no complication such as loosening, sinking, or displacement of the fusion cage. The low back pain and leg pain VAS scores, ODI, and the height of anterior and posterior margins of the intervertebral space at each time point after operation in both groups were significantly improved when compared with those before operation (P<0.05). Except for the VAS score of lower back pain in the OSE group being significantly better than that in the PLIF group at 1 month after operation (P<0.05), there was no significant difference in all indicators between the two groups at all other time points (P>0.05). At last follow-up, both groups achieved bone fusion, and there was no significant difference in Bridwell interbody fusion and modified MacNab standard evaluation between the two groups (P>0.05).@*CONCLUSION@#OSE-assisted posterolateral approach lumbar interbody fusion for L4, 5 DLS, although the operation time is relatively long, but the postoperative hospitalization stay is short, the complications are few, the operation is safe and effective, and the early effectiveness is satisfactory.

Expression of nerve growth factor and neurotrophin 3 after transplantation of human umbilical cord blood stem cells combined with electroacupuncture stimulation in rats with spinal cord injuries / 中国组织工程研究

BACKGROUND:Studies have shown that umbilical cord blood stem cel transplantation promote the recovery of spinal cord injury, and electroacupuncture also can inhibit the proliferation of astrocytes to reduce damage to scar formation, suggesting that a combination of umbilical cord blood stem cel transplantation and electroacupuncture may play an important role in the treatment of acute spinal cord injuries. OBJECTIVE:To observe the influence of transplantation of human umbilical cord blood stem cels combined with electroacupuncture at theDu channel on expression of nerve growth factor and neurotrophin 3 in rats with spinal cord injuries. METHODS: Seventy-two female Sprague-Dawlay rats were randomly divided into control group, injury group, transplantation group and combined therapy group. In the control group, only an incision on the back was sutured;in the injury group, a piece of saline-infiltrated gelatin sponge, 1 mm×2 mm×2 mm, was placed into the transected spinal cord at T10 level; in the transplantation group and combined therapy group, a piece of gelatin sponged infiltrated in the suspension of human umbilical cord blood stem cels was placed into the transected spinal cord, respectively, and then, electroacupuncture stimulation at the Duchannel was performed in the combined therapy group at 1 hour after modeling. Specimens were taken at 7, 14, 28 days after modeling in each group, and then immunohistochemistry, western blot and real time-PCR methods were used to detect the expression of nerve growth factor and neurotrophin 3. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Compared with the transplantation group, the expression of nerve growth factor and neurotrophin 3 was lower in the injury group but higher in the combined therapy group at 7, 14, 28 days after modeling (P < 0.05). The results of western blot and real time-PCR were consistent with those of immunohistochemical detection. Findings show that human umbilical cord blood stem cel transplantation combined with electroacupuncture has a remarkable synergistic effect in the treatment of spinal cord injury that can significantly up-regulate the expression of nerve growth factor and neurotrophin 3, and contribute to injured spinal cord repair, regeneration and functional recovery after spinal cord injury.

Cartilage repair and motor function recovery in knee joint during articular cartilage defects at different directions / 中国组织工程研究

BACKGROUND:At present, there are many researches about repairing articular cartilage defects. In particular, the microfracture technique has been widely used. OBJECTIVE:To observe recovery of knee joint motor function and morphological changes in tissue repair during articular cartilage defects with different directions (coronal position and sagittal position). METHODS:Articular cartilage fracture models with 2 mm-thick medial femoral condyles of rabbit knee joint were established. According to incision directions, models were assigned to coronal and sagittal groups. At 5, 10 and 20 weeks after model induction, general observation was performed. Specimens were sliced into paraffin sections, and subjected to hematoxylin-eosin staining and col agen staining. Tissue repair at the articular cartilage defects was observed using optical microscope and immunohistochemical method. After model induction, range of motion of rabbit joints was regularly examined in the two groups.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:A white line was seen across the femoral condyles at defects in the two groups. Articular surface at defect repair was at the level of in situ cartilage, and reached a bone union. Knee joint treated by operation did not affect function. Under light microscope, partial reconstruction of subchondral bone was seen in the two groups, mainly fibrocartilage repair. The level of bony remodeling was lower than tidal line of adjacent in situ cartilage. Immunohistochemical method exhibited that type I col agen staining gradual y reduced at defects of specimens, but type II col agen staining gradual y increased. These results suggested that there was no significant difference in the recovery of motor function of knee joint and the repair of articular cartilage with different directions (coronal and sagittal position).