Diagnosis and surgical treatment of back pain originating from endplate / 中华外科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the methods of diagnosis and surgical treatment for patients with back pain originating from endplate.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>All patients received examinations of radiography, CT, and MR imaging. Pain level of disc was decided by discography in each patient. The principal outcome judgment were pain and disability, and the efficacy of surgical treatment was assessed by visual analog scale (VAS) for pain, and the Oswestry disability index (ODI) for functional recovery.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>All patients with a diagnosis of back pain originating from endplate according to discography were treated with anterior or posterior fusion surgery. The mean follow-up period was three years and five months (from 2 to 6 years). Among of the 21 patients, 20 (95%) reported a disappearance or marked alleviation of low back pain, and experienced a definite improvement in physical function. A statistically significant and clinically meaningful improvement on the ODI and the VAS scores were obtained in the patients with chronic low back pain originating from endplate (P = 0.0001) after treatment.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>The study suggests that the discography and fusion surgery may be very effective methods for the diagnosis and treatment of chronic back pain originating from endplate respectively.</p>

Crossing anastomosis of nerve bundles near innervated organs to treat irreparable nerve injuries / 中国医学科学杂志(英文版)

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the therapeutical effects of crossing anastomosis of nerve on the peripheral and central nerve injuries.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Twelve kinds of central and peripheral nerve disorders and their complications were treated with 11 kinds of crossing anastomosis of nerve bundles near the innervated organs. After nerve injury and repair, somatosensory evoked potentials (SEPs) and horseradish peroxidase (HRP) retrograde tracing studies were used to investigate the rabbit's nerve function and morphology.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The ulcers of all patients healed. Sensation, voluntary movement, and joint function recovered. Four weeks after the anastomosis of distal stump of radialis superficialis nerve and median nerve, pain sensation regained and SEPs appeared. HRP retrograde tracing studies demonstrated sensory nerve ending of medial nerve formed new connection with the body of neuron.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Crossing anastomosis of nerve is an effective method to treat peripheral and central nerve injuries.</p>