Accuracy of an artificial intelligence algorithm for detecting moderate-to-severe vertebral compression fractures on abdominal and thoracic computed tomography scans / Acurácia de um algoritmo de inteligência artificial na detecção de fraturas compressivas moderadas a graves na tomografia computadorizada abdominal e torácica

Abstract Objective: To describe the accuracy of HealthVCF, a software product that uses artificial intelligence, in the detection of incidental moderate-to-severe vertebral compression fractures (VCFs) on chest and abdominal computed tomography scans. Materials and Methods: We included a consecutive sample of 899 chest and abdominal computed tomography scans of patients 51-99 years of age. Scans were retrospectively evaluated by the software and by two specialists in musculoskeletal imaging for the presence of VCFs with vertebral body height loss > 25%. We compared the software analysis with that of a general radiologist, using the evaluation of the two specialists as the reference. Results: The software showed a diagnostic accuracy of 89.6% (95% CI: 87.4-91.5%) for moderate-to-severe VCFs, with a sensitivity of 73.8%, a specificity of 92.7%, and a negative predictive value of 94.8%. Among the 145 positive scans detected by the software, the general radiologist failed to report the fractures in 62 (42.8%), and the algorithm detected additional fractures in 38 of those scans. Conclusion: The software has good accuracy for the detection of moderate-to-severe VCFs, with high specificity, and can increase the opportunistic detection rate of VCFs by radiologists who do not specialize in musculoskeletal imaging.

Resumo Objetivo: Descrever a acurácia do software HealthVCF na detecção incidental de fraturas compressivas de corpos vertebrais moderadas a graves em exames de tomografia computadorizada do tórax e abdome. Materiais e Métodos: Foram incluídos 899 exames consecutivos de pacientes com idades entre 51 e 99 anos. As imagens foram retrospectivamente avaliadas pelo software e por dois radiologistas especializados em musculoesquelético que investigaram fraturas compressivas de corpos vertebrais com perda da altura somática > 25%. A análise comparativa foi realizada entre o software e um radiologista geral, usando a avaliação do especialista como referência. Resultados: O software apresentou uma acurácia de 89,6% (IC 95%: 87,4-91,5%) para fraturas compressivas moderadas a graves, com sensibilidade de 73,8%, especificidade de 92,7% e valor preditivo negativo de 94,8%. Entre as 145 tomografias positivas detectadas pelo software, o radiologista geral deixou de relatar as fraturas em 62 (42,8%) e o algoritmo detectou fraturas adicionais em 38 dessas tomografias. Conclusão: O software possui boa acurácia na detecção de fraturas compressivas moderadas a graves, com alta especificidade, podendo aumentar a taxa de detecção oportunística dessas fraturas por radiologistas não especializados em musculoesquelético.

Morphometrics of T11-L5 Vertebrae in Jordanian Population: CT Scan-Based Study / Morfometría de las Vértebras T11-L5 en una Población Jordana: Estudio Basado en Tomografía Computarizada

SUMMARY: The study will provide information on the morphometrics of the vertebrae, which can be used to guide clinicians on the appropriate size of transpedicular screws to use in spine interventions among the Jordanian population and for comparative studies with other races. A retrospective analysis of normal CT scans of the lumbar and thoracolumbar areas was done. Linear and angular measurements of 336 vertebrae were collected for 25 males and 23 females. The results were compared between right and left and between both sexes. The L5 has the longest AVBH and the shortest PVBH in both sexes, it also, had the shortest and widest pedicle in both males and females. ratio of the AVBH to PVBH showed progressive increase in both sexes from T11 to L5. Similarly, the VBW increased progressively from the top to the bottom in both sexes, but it was significantly different between both sexes. The L1 was the most cranially oriented vertebrae in males while the L2 showed the most cranial orientation in females. Both sexes L5 was the most caudally oriented vertebrae. This study provides a database for vertebral morphometrics in the Jordanian population, there are slight differences between the right and left side in the upper studied vertebrae (T11-L2) and some measurement showed significant differences between males and females. These findings need to be taken into consideration when inserting pedicle screws.

Este estudio proporciona información sobre la morfometría de las vértebras, la cual puede ser utilizada por los médicos oara determinar el tamaño adecuado de los tornillos transpediculares a utilizar en intervenciones de columna en la población jordana y para estudios comparativos con otras grupos. Se realizó un análisis retrospectivo de tomografías computarizadas normales de las áreas lumbar y toracolumbar. Se recogieron medidas lineales y angulares de 336 vértebras de 25 hombres y 23 mujeres. Los resultados se compararon entre vértebras derechas e izquierdas y entre ambos sexos. La L5 tiene el AVBH más largo y el PVBH más corto en ambos sexos, también tenía el pedículo más corto y más ancho tanto en hombres como en mujeres. La relación de AVBH a PVBH mostró un aumento progresivo en ambos sexos de T11 a L5. De manera similar, el VBW aumentó progresivamente de arriba hacia abajo en ambos sexos, pero fue significativamente diferente entre ambos sexos. La L1 fue la vértebra más orientada cranealmente en los hombres, mientras que la L2 mostró la orientación más craneal en las mujeres. En ambos sexos L5 fue la vértebra más orientada caudalmente. Este estudio proporciona una base de datos para la morfometría vertebral en la población jordana, donde existen ligeras diferencias entre el lado derecho e izquierdo en las vértebras superiores estudiadas (T11-L2). Algunas mediciones mostraron diferencias significativas entre hombres y mujeres. Estos hallazgos deben tenerse en cuenta al insertar tornillos pediculares.

A Morphometric Study of Typical and Atypical Lumbar Vertebrae in South Indian Population

Introduction:The lumbar vertebrae are affected in conditions such as congenital defects, degenerative diseases, accidents, and cancer metastasis. A thorough knowledge of the morphometry of typical and atypical lumbar vertebrae in adults of South Indian population is needed for lumbar spine surgeries. MaterialsandMethods: Adescriptive study was done on 200 dry lumbar vertebrae, of which 100 were typical and 100 were atypical lumbar vertebrae. The following dimensions of both typical and atypical lumbar vertebrae were measured with digital vernier calipers: anteroposterior and transverse diameters of the body; anterior and posterior body heights; anteroposterior and transverse diameters of vertebral foramen; height, breadth, and width of the laminae; length, height, and width of the pedicles; transverse processes and spinous process; distance between the two superior articular processes; and the distance between the two inferior articular processes. All the measurements were tabulated. The mean and standard deviation were calculated for each of the parameters and the results were statistically analyzed. Results: The anteroposterior and transverse diameters of the body, the height of the laminae on both sides, the length and height of the spinous process, and the distance between the superior articular facets were significantly longer in atypical lumbar vertebrae than that of typical lumbar vertebrae (P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in measurements between both sides. Conclusion: The dimensions of vertebral foramen, transverse processes, spinous processes, and distance between articular processes were different from the dimensions of previous studies. The morphometric data obtained will be useful for orthopedic procedures on the lumbar vertebrae in South Indian population

Lumbar Facet Syndrome and the Use of Radiofrequency Ablation Technique as an Alternative Therapy: A Systematic Review / Síndrome facetária lombar e a utilização da técnica de ablação por radiofrequência como terapia alternativa: uma revisão sistemática

Abstract Lumbar facet syndrome stands out as a significant cause for the increasing prevalence of back pain complaints. Alternatives such as radiofrequency (RF) ablation may be a therapeutic option to relieve the chronic pain associated with this condition. It is critical to analyze the effectiveness of lumbar facet syndrome treatment using the traditional RF ablation technique and the relief generated by it in chronic low back pain (CLBP). This study is a systematic review using the following inclusion criteria: title, observational studies, clinical trials, controlled clinical trials, clinical studies, and publications over the last 17 years (from 2005 to 2022). The exclusion criteria included papers addressing other themes and review articles. The databases used for data collection included the Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online (Medline), PubMed, Scientific Electronic Library Online (SciELO), Lilacs, and Biblioteca Virtual em Saúde (Virtual Health Library in Portuguese). The query used the following terms: facet, pain, lumbar, and radiofrequency. The application of these filters yielded 142 studies, and 12 were included in this review. Most studies indicated that the traditional RF ablation technique was beneficial in relieving CLBP refractory to conservative treatment.

Resumo Em um contexto de aumento da prevalência de queixas de dores na coluna, a síndrome facetária se destaca como um importante causador. Alternativas como a ablação por radiofrequência (RF) podem ser uma opção de terapia para alívio da dor crônica que essa patologia pode causar. É necessário analisar a eficácia do tratamento da síndrome facetária pela técnica de ablação por radiofrequência tradicional e o alívio gerado nas dores lombares crônicas (DLC). O presente estudo trata-se de uma revisão sistemática cujo os critérios de inclusão para análise foram: título; estudos observacionais; ensaios clínicos; ensaio clínico controlado; estudos clínicos e publicação nos últimos dezessete anos (2005-2022). Já os critérios de exclusão foram: artigos que abordavam outras temáticas e artigos de revisão. As bases utilizadas para coleta de dados incluíram Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System online (Medline), Pubmed, Scientific Electronic Library Online (SciELO), Lilacs, Biblioteca Virtual em Saúde. Os termos utilizados para a pesquisa foram: facet; pain; lumbar; radiofrequency. Aplicando-se os filtros foram encontrados 142 estudos, 12 foram incluídos. Os estudos em sua maioria apontaram ser benéfica a técnica de ablação por radiofrequência tradicional no alívio das dores lombares crônicas refratárias ao tratamento conservador.

Identificación de vértebras lumbares ii y iv por osteometría vertebral mediante fórmulas matemáticas

Introducción: Durante el hallazgo arqueológico o forense de un esqueleto incompleto, con vértebras sin características identificativas, no es posible determinar el nivel regional de la columna vertebral porque existen pocas determinantes que distingan los niveles a los que pertenece una vértebra. Objetivo: Proponer una fórmula matemática para la identificación de las vértebras lumbares que no son particulares. Métodos: Se realizó un estudio observacional descriptivo en la osteoteca de la Universidad de Ciencias Médicas de Matanzas. Se analizaron todas las vértebras lumbares entre lii y liv de la colección para un total de 87 huesos. Se midieron y calcularon los índices para el cuerpo y el agujero, y se utilizó un cociente matemático para asociar ambas partes. Resultados: El diámetro transversal predominó sobre el anteroposterior en el cuerpo y en el agujero. La media del cociente entre ambos fue de 0,60 cm y permitió dividir las vértebras en 2 grupos: superior e inferior; morfológicamente, deben coincidir con las vértebras lumbares lii y liv. Conclusiones: La relación morfométrica del cociente del cuerpo-agujero puede diferenciar las vértebras lumbares que no son particulares.

Introduction: During the archaeological or forensic discovery of an incomplete skeleton, with vertebrae without identifying characteristics, it is not possible to determine the regional level of the spine because there are few determinants that distinguish the levels to which a vertebra belongs. Objective: To propose a mathematical formula for the identification of lumbar vertebrae that are not particular. Methods: A descriptive observational study was conducted in the osteotheque of the University of Medical Sciences of Matanzas. All lumbar vertebrae between LII and LIV in the collection were analyzed for a total of 87 bones. The indices for the body and hole were measured and calculated, and a mathematical quotient was used to associate both parts. Results: The transverse diameter predominated over the antero-posterior in the body and in the hole. The mean ratio between the two was 0.60 cm and allowed the vertebrae to be divided into 2 groups: upper and lower; morphologically, they must coincide with the lumbar vertebrae LII and LIV. Conclusions: The morphometric relationship of the body-hole ratio can differentiate lumbar vertebrae that are not particular.

[Errata] Estudo piloto sobre diâmetro do canal lombar e distância percorrida em pacientes com estenose espinhal lombar: um modelo de predição multivariado / [Erratum] Pilot study on lumbar canal diameter and walking distance in patients with lumbar spinal stenosis: a multivariate prediction model

INTRODUCTION: Neurogenic claudication (NC) is the classic clinical presentation of patients with Lumbar Spinal Stenosis (LSS). These patients may or may not present with symptoms of leg pain and difficulty walking. These symptoms are exacerbated while walking and standing and are eased by sitting or bending forward. METHOD: Patients with LSS, having a lumbar canal diameter of ≤12mm, were recruited from a recognized Tertiary care hospital. Each subject's demographic characteristics and anthropometrics were noted, and the testing procedure was explained. The canal diameter was documented with the help of an MRI report. A self-paced walking test was used to assess the walking distance. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: Depending on the normality of the data, the Pearson correlation coefficient (r) was used to find the correlation between canal diameter at different lumbar levels and walking distance in patients with LSS. RESULT: Pearson correlation coefficient (r) determined a fair positive correlation (r = 0.29) between lumbar canal diameter and walking distance. Stepwise multiple regression analysis was done, and a prediction equation was found for different levels of canal stenosis. CONCLUSION: Findings of our present study suggest a fair positive correlation between walking distance and canal diameter at L5-S1. This study may also be useful in predicting the approximate canal diameter by estimating the walking distance of the patient with symptoms of LSS and vice-versa.

INTRODUÇÃO: A claudicação neurogênica (CN) é a apresentação clínica clássica de pacientes com Estenose Espinhal Lombar (EEL). Esses pacientes podem ou não apresentar sintomas de dor nas pernas e dificuldade para caminhar. Esses sintomas são exacerbados ao caminhar e ficar em pé e são aliviados ao sentar ou inclinar-se para a frente. MÉTODO: Pacientes com EEL, com diâmetro do canal lombar ≤12mm, foram recrutados em um hospital terciário reconhecido. As características demográficas e antropométricas de cada sujeito foram anotadas e o procedimento do teste foi explicado. O diâmetro do canal foi documentado com a ajuda de um relatório de ressonância magnética. Um teste de caminhada individualizado foi usado para avaliar a distância percorrida. ANÁLISE ESTATÍSTICA: Dependendo da normalidade dos dados, o coeficiente de correlação de Pearson (r) foi usado para encontrar a correlação entre o diâmetro do canal em diferentes níveis lombares e a distância percorrida em pacientes com EEL. RESULTADO: O coeficiente de correlação de Pearson (r) determinou uma correlação positiva razoável (r = 0,29) entre o diâmetro do canal lombar e a distância percorrida. Análise de regressão múltipla stepwise foi feita, e uma equação de predição foi encontrada para diferentes níveis de estenose do canal. CONCLUSÃO: Os achados de nosso estudo sugerem uma correlação positiva razoável entre a distância percorrida e o diâmetro do canal em L5-S1. Este estudo também pode ser útil para prever o diâmetro aproximado do canal, estimando a distância percorrida pelo paciente com sintomas de EEL e vice-versa.

Effect of morphological changes in the sagittal plane of vertebrae and discs on degenerative kyphodeformity / 中国骨伤

OBJECTIVE@#To explore the effects of morphological changes such as vertebral wedge deformation and disc degeneration (collapse) on adult thoracolumbar/lumbar degenerative kyphosis(TL/LDK) deformity.@*METHODS@#A retrospective analysis of 32 patients with spinal TL/LDK deformity admitted from August 2015 to December 2020, including 8 males and 24 females, aged 48 to 75(60.3±12.4) years old. On the long-cassette standing upright lateral radiographs, the coronal Cobb angle, sagittal thoracic lumbar/lumbar kyphosis angle(KA) of spine were measured, and the height and wedge parameters of apex vertebral(AV) and two vertebrae(AV-1, AV-2, AV+1, AV+2) above and below AV and the intervertebrae and the intervertebral disc(AV-1D, AV-2D, AV+1D, AV+2D) were evaluated, involving anterior vertebral body height(AVH), posterior vertebral body height(PVH), vertebral wedge angle(VWA), ratio of vertebral wedging(RVW), anterior disc height(ADH), posterior disc height(PDH), disc wedge angle(DWA), ratio of disc wedging(RDW), and DWA/KA.@*RESULTS@#The average angle of kyphosis was (44.2±19.1)°. A significant decrease in anterior height of vertebral was observed compared to the posterior height of vertebral(P<0.005). There was no significant difference in anterior and posterior height of discs. The vertebral wedging ratio/contribution ratio:AV-2(14.98±10.95)%/(14.21±8.08)%, AV-1(21.08±12.39)%/(18.09±7.38)%, AV(26.94±11.94)%/(25.52±8.64)%, AV+1(24.19±8.42)%/(20.82±8.69)%, AV+2(20.56±7.80)%/(15.60±9.71)%, total contribution(94.23±22.25)%, the disc wedging ratio/contribution ratio:AV-2D(2.88±2.57)%/(5.27±4.11)%, AV-1D(1.98±1.41)%/(2.29±2.16)%, AV+1D(-5.54±3.75)%/(-0.57±0.46)%, AV+2D(-8.27±4.62)%/(-1.22±1.11)%, total contribution (5.77±4.79)%. And the contribution rate of AV was significantly higher than that of adjacent vertebral(P<0.05).@*CONCLUSION@#The vertebral body and intervertebral disc shape both have influence on thoracolumbar kyphosis. However, the contribution of vertebral morphometry to the angle of TL/LDK deformity is relatively more important than the disc. The contribution of the wedge change of the AV to the TL/LDK deformity is particularly significant.

Observation of early clinical efficacy of unilateral biportal endoscopy technique in the treatment of lumbar postoperative adjacent segmental diseases / 中国骨伤

OBJECTIVE@#To investigate early clinical efficacy of unilateral biportal endoscopy technique for the treatment of lumbar postoperative adjacent segmental diseases.@*METHODS@#Fourteen patients with lumbar postoperative adjacent segmental diseases were treated with unilateral biportal endoscopy technique from June 2019 to June 2020. Among them, there were 9 males and 5 females, aged from 52 to 73 years old, and the interval between primary and revision operations ranged from 19 to 64 months. Adjacent segmental degeneration occurred after lumbar fusion in 10 patients and after lumbar nonfusion fixation in 4 patients. All the patients received unilateral biportal endoscopy assisted posterior unilateral lamina decompression or unilateral approach to the contralateral decompression. The operation time, postoperative hospital stay and complications were observed. The visual analogue scale (VAS) of low back pain and leg pain, Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), modified Japanese Orthopaedic Association (mJOA) score were recorded before operation and at 3 days, 3 months, and 6 months after operation.@*RESULTS@#All procedures were successfully completed. Surgical duration ranged from 32 to 151 min. Postoperative CT showed adequate decompression and preservation of most joints. Out of bed walking 1 to 3 days after surgery, postoperative hospital stay was 1 to 8 days, and postoperative follow-up was 6 to 11 months. All 14 patients returned to normal life within 3 weeks after surgery, and VAS, ODI, and mJOA scores improved significantly at 3 days and 3, 6 months after surgery. One patient occurred cerebrospinal fluid leak after operation, received local compression suture, and the wound healed after conservative treatment. One patient occurred postoperative cauda equina neurologic deficit, which was gradually recovered about 1 month after rehabilitation therapy. One patients advented transient pain of lower limbs after surgery, and the symptoms were relieved after 7 days of treatment with hormones, dehydration drugs and symptomatic management.@*CONCLUSION@#Unilateral biportal endoscopy technique has a good early clinical efficacy in the treatment of lumbar postoperative adjacent segmental diseases, which may provide a new minimally invasive, non-fixation option for the treatment of adjacent segment disease.

Analysis of the causes and clinical results of vertebral fracture during oblique lateral lumbar interbody fusion / 中国骨伤

OBJECTIVE@#To analyze the causes of vertebral fracture during oblique lateral interbody fusion in the treatment of lumbar spondylopathy, summarize the clinical results, and propose preventive measures.@*METHODS@#Retrospective analysis was made on the data of 8 cases of lumbar spondylopathy and vertebral fracture treated by oblique lateral interbody fusion in three medical centers from October 2014 to December 2018. All were female, aged from 50 to 81 years with an average of 66.4 years. Disease types included 1 case of lumbar degenerative disease, 3 cases of lumbar spinal stenosis, 2 cases of lumbar degenerative spondylolisthesis and 2 cases of lumbar degenerative scoliosis. Preoperative dual energy X-ray bone mineral density test showed that 2 cases had T-value >-1 SD, 2 cases had T-value -1 to -2.5 SD, and 4 cases had T-value <-2.5 SD. Single segment fusion was in 5 cases, two segment fusion in 1 case and three segment fusion in 2 cases. Four cases were treated with OLIF Stand-alone and 4 cases were treated with OLIF combined with posterior pedicle screw fixation. Postoperative imaging examination showed vertebral fracture, and all of them were single vertebral fracture. There were 2 cases of right lower edge fracture of upper vertebral body at fusion segment, 6 cases of lower vertebral body fracture at fusion segment, and 6 cases with endplate injury and fusion cage partially embedded in vertebral body. Three cases of OLIF Stand-alone were treated with pedicle screw fixation via posterior intermuscular approach, while one case of OLIF Stand-alone and four cases of OLIF combined with posterior pedicle screw fixation were not treated specially.@*RESULTS@#The 5 cases of initial operation and 3 cases of reoperation did not show wound skin necrosis or wound infection. The follow-up time was from 12 to 48 months with an average of 22.8 months. Visual analogue scale (VAS) of low back pain was preoperative decreased from 4 to 8 points (averagely 6.3 points) and postoperative 1 to 3 points (averagely 1.7 points) at the final follow-up. Oswestry disability index (ODI) was preoperative 39.7% to 52.4% (averagely 40.2%), and postoperative 7.9% to 11.2% (averagely 9.5%) at the final follow-up. During the follow-up, there was no loosening or fracture of the pedicle screw system, and no lateral displacement of the fusion cage;however, the fusion cage at the vertebral fracture segment had obvious subsidence. The intervertebral space height of vertebral fracture segment was preoperaive 6.7 to 9.2 mm (averagely 8.1 mm), and postoperative 10.5 to 12.8 mm (averagely 11.2 mm). The improvement rate after operation was 37.98% compared to preoperative. The intervertebral space height at final follow-up was 8.4 to 10.9 mm (averagely 9.3 mm), and the loss rate was 16.71% compared with that after operation. At the final follow-up, interbody fusion was achieved in all cases except for one that could not be identified.@*CONCLUSION@#The incidence of vertebral fracture during oblique lateral interbody fusion in the treatment of lumbar spondylopathy is lower, and there are many reasons for fracture, including preoperative bone loss or osteoporosis, endplate injury, irregular shape of endplate, excessive selection of fusion cage, and osteophyte hyperplasia at the affected segment. As long as vertebral fracture is found in time and handled properly, the prognosis is well. However, it still needs to strengthen prevention.

Influential factors related to functional status after full-endoscopic lumbar discectomy / 北京大学学报(医学版)

OBJECTIVE@#To explore the influential factors associated with functional status of those patients who undertook a full-endoscopic lumbar discectomy operation.@*METHODS@#A prospective study was conducted. A total of 96 patients who undertook a full-endoscopic lumbar discectomy operation and met inclusive criteria were enrolled in the study. The postoperative follow-up was held 1 month, 3 months and 6 months after operation. The self-developed record file was used to collect the patient's information and medical history. Visual analogue scale (VAS) score, Oswestry disability index (ODI) score, Gene-ralised anxiety disorder-7 (GAD-7) scale score and patient health questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) scale score were applied to measure pain intensity, functional status, anxiety status and depression status. Repeated measurement analysis of variance was used to explore the ODI score 1 month, 3 months and 6 months after operation. Multiple linear regression was recruited to illuminate the influential factors associated with functional status after the operation. Logistic regression was employed to explore the independent risk factors related to return to work 6 months after operation.@*RESULTS@#The postoperative functional status of the patients improved gradually. The functional status of the patients 1 month, 3 months and 6 months after operation were highly positively correlated with the current average pain intensity. The factors influencing the postoperative functional status of the patients were different according to the recovery stage. One month and 3 months after operation, the factors influencing the postoperative functional status were the current average pain intensity; 6 months after operation, the factors influencing the postoperative functional status included the current average pain intensity, preoperative average pain intensity, gender and educational level. The risk factors influencing return to work 6 months after operation included women, young age, preoperative depression status and high average pain intensity 3 months after operation.@*CONCLUSION@#It is feasible to treat chronic low back pain with full-endoscopic lumbar discectomy operation. In the process of postoperative functional status recovery, medical staffs should not only take analgesic mea-sures to reduce the pain intensity experienced by the patients, but also pay attention to the impact of psychosocial factors on the recovery. Women, young age, preoperative depression status, and high average pain intensity 3 months after operation may delay return to work after the operation.

Efficacy analysis of autologous facet joint bone block in lumbar interbody fusion of osteoporosis patients / 北京大学学报(医学版)

OBJECTIVE@#To compare and analyze the feasibility of autologous facet joint bone block as an alternative to polyetheretherketone (PEEK) cage in lumbar intervertebral fusion surgery for patients with osteoporosis.@*METHODS@#From December 2018 to June 2021, the case data of patients with osteoporosis (T value ≤ -2.5 on dual energy X-ray bone density) who underwent posterior lumbar interbody fusion in the Fourth Medical Center, Chinese PLA General Hospital were retrospectively reviewed. All the cases were followed up for no less than 12 months and were divided into two groups according to the differences of interbody fusion materials: the autologous facet joint bone block group (autogenous bone group) and the PEEK cage group (PEEK group). The general data [such as age, gender, body mass index (BMI), primary diagnosis, distribution of fusion segments, bone mineral density of lumbar (BMD), incidence of preoperative complications], the perioperative data (such as duration of operation, intraoperative blood loss, postoperative drainage, perioperative allogeneic blood transfusion rate), and the incidence of postoperative complications were compared between the two groups. Imaging parameters (disc height, lumbar lordosis angle, segment lordosis angle, segmental lordosis angle, disc height improvement rate, and fusion rate) and lumbar functional scores [visual analogue scale (VAS), Oswestry disability index (ODI), Japanese Orthopedics Association (JOA) score for lower back pain] were compared to evaluate the clinical efficacy between the kinds of intervertebral fusion materials 1 week, 3 months and 6 months postoperative and at the last follow-up.@*RESULTS@#A total of 118 patients were enrolled, including 68 cases in the autogenous bone group and 50 cases in the PEEK group, there were no statistical differences in age, gender, BMI, primary diagnosis, distribution of fusion segments, BMD, incidence of preoperative complications, duration of operation, intraoperative blood loss, postoperative drainage, perioperative allogeneic blood transfusion rate, incidence of postoperative complications, all the preoperative imaging parameters and all the lumbar function scores between the two groups (P>0.05). Postoperative superficial surgical site infections occurred in 3 patients in the autogenous bone group and 2 patients in the PEEK group. At the last follow-up, 3 cases of intervertebral graft collapse occurred in the autogenous bone group and 5 cases in the PEEK group, 1 case of graft subsidence in the autogenous bone group and 1 case in the PEEK group. All the imaging parameters showed significant differences between postoperation and preoperation (P < 0.05), and all the imaging parameters showed significant differences between 1 week and 3 months postoperative in both groups (P < 0.05). The height, angle of fusion gap in the autogenous bone group were lower than those in the PEEK group 1 week postoperatively (P < 0.05), and the fusion gap height improvement rate in the autogenous bone group was lower than that in the PEEK group (P < 0.05). The cases in both groups started to show final fusion 3 months after surgery, and the fusion rate in the autogenous bone group was 75% 6 months postoperatively, which was significantly higher than the rate of 56% in the PEEK group (P < 0.05), and there was no statistically significant difference in the final fusion rate between the two groups (P>0.05). The ODI, the postoperative VAS score was significantly lower than that in preoperation, while the postoperative JOA score was significantly higher than that in preoperation (P < 0.05). The ODI was lower while the JOA score was higher of the autogenous bone group than that of the PEEK group 6 months postoperatively (P < 0.05).@*CONCLUSION@#In osteoporosis patients, good interbody fusion rate and improvement of lumbar vertebral function can be obtained by using autologous facet joint bone block or PEEK cage, while the fusion rate and the improvement of lumbar function with autologous facet joint bone block are better than those with PEEK cage 6 months post-operatively. PEEK cage is superior to autologous facet joint bone block in intervertebral distraction and improvement of lumbar lordosis. Significant disc space subsidence occurred in osteoporotic patients within 3 months after lumbar interbody fusion, and the subsidence of PEEK cage was more obvious than that of autologous facet joint bone block.

Exploring the effect of Tuina on the dendritic structure of spinal cord dorsal horn in rats with lumbar disc herniation based on NR2B/PSD-95 pathway / 针灸推拿医学（英文版）

Objective: To investigate the analgesic mechanism of Tuina (Chinese therapeutic massage) by observing the effect of the N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor subunit 2B (NR2B)/postsynaptic density-95 (PSD-95) pathway on the dendritic structure of spinal cord dorsal horn in rats with lumbar disc herniation. Methods: Fifty Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into a blank group, a model group, a Tuina group, a blocker agent group, and a blocker agent + Tuina group. The sciatic nerve chronic constriction injury (CCI) model was prepared by the sciatic nerve ligation method. From the 4th day after modeling, rats in the Tuina group and the blocker agent + Tuina group were subject to daily Tuina intervention, and those in the blocker agent group and the blocker agent + Tuina group were daily intrathecally injected with NR2B blocker agent (MK-801). The spontaneous pain score was used to observe the pain behavior of all rats. The expression levels of NR2B and downstream PSD-95 were measured by immunohistochemistry, and the dendritic structure changes were observed by Golgi staining for rat spinal cord dorsal horn after 14 d of continuous intervention. Results: Compared with the blank group, the degree of rat spontaneous pain after CCI was elevated in both the model and the Tuina groups (P<0.01) and was reduced in the Tuina group after the Tuina intervention compared with the model group (P<0.05). Compared with the model group, the rat spontaneous pain level after blocking NR2B was reduced in both the blocker agent group and the blocker agent + Tuina group (P<0.05). The NR2B and PSD-95 protein levels were significantly higher in the model group compared with the blank group (P<0.01); the total number of dendritic branches was increased (P<0.01), and the total dendritic length became longer (P<0.01) in the spinal cord dorsal horn. The rat NR2B and PSD-95 protein levels were significantly decreased in the Tuina group compared with the model group (P<0.01); the total dendritic branch number was reduced (P<0.01) and the total length was shortened (P<0.01) in the spinal cord dorsal horn. After blocking NR2B, the expression levels of NR2B and downstream PSD-95 protein were significantly lower in both the blocker agent group and the blocker agent + Tuina group compared to the model group (P<0.01). The total branch number was significantly reduced (P<0.01), and the total length was significantly shortened (P<0.01) of the dendrites in the spinal cord dorsal horn. Conclusion: Tuina may exert an analgesic effect by remodeling the dendritic structure in the spinal cord dorsal horn in rats with lumbar disc herniation, and its mechanism may be related to the inhibition of NR2B/PSD-95 signaling pathway.

Effects of 12-week Liu Zi Jue Qigong-based breathing training on the curvature and range of motion of the thoracic and lumbar spines / 针灸推拿医学（英文版）

Objective: To evaluate the effects of Liu Zi Jue Qigong (LQG)-based breathing training on the curvature and range of motion (ROM) of the thoracic and lumbar spines in different positions. Methods: Forty-seven college students were selected as subjects and randomly divided into an observation group and a control group. In the observation group, 27 subjects received regular LQG-based breathing training for 12 weeks, while 20 subjects in the control group did not receive any intervention. The spine measuring instrument Spinal Mouse was adopted to detect the curvature and ROM of the thoracic and lumbar spines. Results: In the observation group, the changes in the curvatures of thoracic spine in the upright and forward-bending positions showed statistical significance after LQG exercise (P<0.05), while there was no notable difference in the control group. The comparison of ROM of the thoracic spine from the upright position to the forward-bending and load-bearing positions showed statistically significant difference in the observation group (P<0.05), while there was no significant difference in the control group. There was no significant difference in the lumbar curvature and ROM in the two groups after LQG exercise. Conclusion: LQG-based breathing training improves the curvature and ROM of the thoracic spine.

The effect of reduction and in situ fusion on postoperative imaging parameters of degenerative lumbar spondylolisthesis / 中华骨科杂志

Objective:To compare the efficacy of reduction and in situ intervertebral fusion fixation in the treatment of degenerative lumbar spondylolisthesis.Methods:A total of 182 patients (92 males and 90 females) with L 4 degenerative lumbar spondylolisthesis of Meyerding's classification of grade I and grade II, aged (62.6±6.8) years (range, 57-73 years), who underwent posterior L 4, 5 internal fixation and interbody fusion in the Department of Spinal Surgery, the Second Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, were retrospectively analyzed from January 2019 to December 2022. There were 105 cases of I-degree spondylolisthesis and 77 cases of II-degree spondylolisthesis. According to the operation method, the patients were divided into reduction intervertebral fusion fixation (reduction group) and in situ intervertebral fusion fixation group (in situ group). Imaging parameters such as lumber lordosis (LL), pelvic incidence (PI)-LL, L 3, 4 intervertebral space heights, fusion segment angle, and sagittal vertical axis (SVA) were measured on the pre- and post-surgical lumbar spine lateral radiographs. The visual analogue scale (VAS) and Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) of low back pain were recorded before and after surgery. The differences in clinical and imaging parameters were compared between reduction and in situ fusion group. Results:All 182 patients successfully completed the surgery and were followed up for 12.0±2.4 months (range, 9-15 months). The LL of the reduction group before surgery, immediately after surgery, and at the last follow-up were 46.9°±7.1°, 57.2°±5.9°, 55.6°±5.5°, respectively, with statistically significant differences ( F=87.61, P<0.001), with immediate and final follow-up being smaller than those in the in situ fixation group. The LL of the in situ fixation group before surgery, immediately after surgery, and at the last follow-up were 47.8°±7.2°, 50.5°±7.0°, and 48.7°± 6.4°, respectively, with no statistically significant difference ( F=2.83, P=0.062). The immediate and final follow-up of LL in the reduction group was lower than those in the in situ fixation group ( P<0.05). The fusion segment angles of the reduction group before surgery, immediately after surgery, and at the last follow-up were 14.2°±5.1°, 23.2°±4.7°, 23.2°±4.7°, respectively, with statistically significant differences ( F=152.87, P<0.001), with immediate and final follow-up after surgery being greater than before surgery. The fusion segment angles of the in situ fixation group before surgery, immediately after surgery, and at the last follow-up were 15.4°±5.9°, 18.2°±5.5°, and 17.4°±5.1°, respectively, with statistically significant differences ( F=4.69, P=0.009), with immediate and final follow-up being greater than before surgery. The fusion segment angulation in the reduction group was greater than that in the in situ fixation group at both the immediate and final follow-up ( P<0.05). The SVA of the reduction group before surgery, immediately after surgery, and at the last follow-up were 16.9±18.2 mm, 9.5±12.0 mm, and 8.7±11.3 mm, respectively, with statistically significant differences ( F=11.32, P<0.001), with immediate and final follow-up being smaller than before surgery. The SVA of immediately after surgery and at the last follow-up were both smaller than before surgery. The SVA of the in situ fixation group before surgery, immediately after surgery, and at the last follow-up were 16.4±17.2 mm, 14.3±15.5 mm, and 13.8±15.0 mm, respectively, with no statistically significant difference ( F=0.57, P=0.576). The SVA of the reduction group at immediate and final follow-up was lower than that of the in situ fixation group ( P<0.05). Conclusion:Both reduction and in situ intervertebral fusion fixation can effectively relieve the clinical symptoms of patients. Fusion fixation after reduction can improve the angulation of fusion segments to form segmental kyphosis, which is more conducive to improving SVA.

Research progress on MRI evaluation of lumbar paraspinal muscle degeneration and related diseases / 中华骨科杂志

Low back pain (LBP) is a common clinical condition, and non-specific LBP is believed to be associated with lumbar instability caused by paraspinal muscle (PSM) degeneration. Therefore, MRI evaluation of PSM degeneration can help predict the progression of low back pain-related diseases. At present, the most commonly used MRI parameters are the cross-sectional area (CSA) and fat infiltration (FI) of PSM. In order to assess the degree of PSM degeneration more accurately, modified parameters including functional CSA, relative CSA and muscle-fat infiltration index (MFI), have been designed. Advancements in MRI technology,such as the application of IDEAL-IQ, allow for early detection of changes in fat infiltration. Additionally, the proton density fat fraction (PDFF) derived from chemical shift encoding based water-fat MRI (CSE-MRI), also shows promise in studying PSM. Numerous MRI studies, both domestically and internationally, have aimed to establish the relationship between PSM degeneration and non-specific LBP, lumbar degenerative diseases, degenerative lumbar scoliosis, and osteoporosis. It has been found that PSM degeneration is affected by other factors such as intervertebral disc, articular process and endplate degeneration. Furthermore, PSM degeneration and scoliosis/kyphosis are also reciprocal causation. Higher fat content in the vertebral body and PSM is associated with increased bone fragility, while vertebroplasty following osteoporotic vertebral fracture can delay PSM degeneration and improve quality of life.

Lateral lumbar interbody fusion for severe lumbar spinal stenosis: a randomized controlled trial with 1-year follow-up / 中华骨科杂志

Objective:To investigate the clinical outcomes of minimally invasive lateral lumbar interbody fusion (LLIF) and the necessity to perform LLIF plus posterior direct decompression in the treatment of severe degenerative lumbar spinal stenosis (DLSS).Methods:In this prospective randomized, controlled trial, we assigned 71 patients, who were 50 to 80 years old, and diagnosed with severe DLSS (Schizas Classification grade C on magnetic resonance imaging), in a 1∶1 ratio to undergo either one-stage LLIF plus posterior internal fixation (treatment group) or CLIF plus posterior internal fixation with laminectomy (control group). Demographic and perioperative data were collected and compared. The clinical outcome measures included Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), Zurich Claudication Questionnaire (ZCQ) score as well as visual analogue scale (VAS). Patients were followed up for at least 1 year.Results:The treatment group included 36 patients with 46 surgical levels, while the control group included 35 patients with 46 surgical levels. The baseline demographic data of the 2 groups were equivalent in preoperative central canal areas, spinal canal anteroposterior diameter, disc height, ODI, ZCQ score for symptom severity and physical function, as well as VAS scores for back and leg pain. The mean operative time, blood loss, drainage volume and hospital stay of the treatment group are significantly less than the control group (157.2±29.1 min vs. 180.6±26.8 min, 75.6±39.1 ml vs. 108.6±43.3 ml, 136.9±73.9 ml vs. 220.5±121.3 ml, 5.3±1.1 d vs. 6.6±2.3 d). There were 2 cases with dura tear and 1 case with wound infection in control group. Thus, the surgical trauma and complications of the control group were more than the treatment group. At 1-year follow-up, the mean ODI score of treatment group improved from 42.24%±10.70% preoperatively to 18.21%±11.49%, the mean ZCQ symptom severity from 2.89±0.38 to 1.61±0.41, the mean ZCQ physical function from 2.31±0.45 to 1.50±0.37, the mean VAS for back from 5.56±1.19 to 1.97±1.13 and the mean VAS for leg from 4.44±1.81 to 0.94±1.26. At 1-year follow-up, the mean ODI score of the control group improved from 43.65%±14.93% preoperatively to 17.36%±12.15%, the mean ZCQ symptom severity from 2.92±0.52 to 1.65±0.39, the mean ZCQ physical function from 2.37±0.52 to 1.55±0.39, the mean VAS for back from 5.63±1.40 to 2.34±1.47, and the mean VAS for leg from 4.37±2.14 to 0.83±1.20. The ZCQ satisfactory score of both groups were not significant different (1.25±0.45 vs. 1.26±0.43, t=0.07, P=0.944). The mean improvement rate of both groups for ODI, ZCQ symptom severity, ZCQ physical function, VAS back and VAS leg at 1-year follow-up were not significant different (55.43%±27.74% vs. 58.36%±25.06%, 43.07%±17.22% vs. 42.66%±12.95%, 32.25%±23.65% vs. 31.71%±23.24%, 62.65%±21.25% vs. 58.37%±22.44%, 78.94%±26.41% vs. 85.45%±20.53%). One adjacent segment disease was found in each group at 1 year follow-up. Conclusion:CLIF+ posterior internal fixation in the treatment of Schizas Grade C DLSS has satisfactory clinical outcome at 1-year follow-up. Laminectomy increases surgical trauma, but does not significantly improve the clinical outcome at 1-year follow-up.

Graded surgical strategy for osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures with kyphosis: application of balanced load concept / 中华骨科杂志

Objective:To explore the application value of graded surgical strategy and balanced load concept for thoracolumbar osteoporotic compression fractures (OVCFs) with kyphosis.Methods:All of 56 patients of thoracolumbar OVCFs with kyphosis were studied, including 11 males and 45 females, with an average of 75.6±9.3 years old. All patients had back pain, and 32 patients had nerve compression, including 5 patients with aggravation of vertebral collapse after conservative treatment, and 1 patient with cement loosening after percutaneous kyphoplasty (PKP) in another hospital. A graded surgical strategy was developed according to the concept of balanced load, including whether there existed nerve compression, kyphosis, sagittal index (SI), vertebral collapse, load capacity of anterior and middle columns, and fracture reducibility. All patients were treated with anti osteoporosis therapy. 24 patients without nerve compression underwent posture reduction and PKP; 32 patients with nerve compression underwent open surgery: 5 patients with arcuate ky-phosis and SI≤15° underwent Ponte osteotomy; 15 patients with angular kyphosis or SI>15° underwent posterior pedicle subtraction osteotomy (PSO) or/and modified PSO including intervertebral space; 11 patients with SI>15° and severe vertebral collapse (the height of anterior and middle vertebral bodies <1/3 of the average height of adjacent vertebral bodies) or cement loosen after PKP underwent vertebrectomy and reconstruction, of which 4 patients underwent posterior vertebral column resection (PVCR), and 8 patients underwent combined surgery including anterior subtotal vertebrectomy with support and posterior pedicle fixation. The clinical efficacy was evaluated by pain visual analog score (VAS) and Oswestry dysfunction index (ODI).Results:All patients were followed up for 12-60 months, with an average of 24.2 months. For the 24 patients with PKP, the symptoms improved significantly, and 1 case had adjacent vertebral fracture that was improved after PKP again. For the 32 patients with open surgery, the intraoperative blood loss was 400-1 800 ml, with an average of 960 ml (PVCR > PSO and combined surgery > Ponte); the operation time was 2-7 h, with an average of 4.3±1.9 h. The neurological symptoms improved after the operation. During follow-up, the artificial vertebral body and titanium mesh collapsed in 3 cases, but did not continue to deteriorate, no vertebral fracture, internal fixation displacement or loosening failure occurred on X-ray films. At the last follow-up, the VAS score and ODI score of 56 patients decreased from 7.0±2.6 and 60.4±16.2 pre-operation to 1.4±1.1 and 9.5+5.8 respectively, and local kyphosis angle improved from 18.1±4.3 pre-operation to 5.6±4.3. According to the overall satisfaction of patients, the effect was fair in 12 cases, good in 30 cases, excellent in 14 cases, and the excellent and good rate was 78.6%.Conclusion:The graded surgical strategy for thoracolumbar OVCFs with kyphosis based on the concept of balanced load can restore the balanced load of the anterior and middle columns of the spine, reduce the fixation and fusion segments, and reduce the risk of internal fixation displacement and loosening failure.

Oblique lumbar interbody fusion combined with percutaneous endoscopic decompression and posterior fixation for the treatment of lumbar spondylolisthesis accompanied with lumbar spinal stenosis / 中华骨科杂志

Objective:To investigate the efficacy of oblique lumbar interbody fusion (OLIF) combined with percutaneous transforaminal endoscopic decompression (PTED) and posterior pedicle fixation through Wiltse approach in the treatment of lumbar spondylolisthesis accompanied with lumbar spinal stenosis.Methods:From June 2017 to February 2022, 103 patients (50 males and 53 females) of lumbar spondylolisthesis accompanied with lumbar spinal stenosis were performed with OLIF combined with PTED and posterior pedicle fixation. The mean age was 64.1±5.2 years (range, 42-87 years). All involved cases were single-segment and included 83 cases of L 4, 5, 17 cases of L 3, 4, and 3 cases of L 2, 3. Among them, 94 cases were performed for the first time, and other 9 were revision surgery treated by posterior lumbar laminectomy previously. The visual analog scale (VAS) was used to evaluate the low back pain and leg pain, and the Oswestry disability index (ODI) was used to evaluate the lumbar function. The VAS and ODI scores were recorded respectively before the operation, at discharge, 1, 3, 6 months after the operation and at the last follow-up. Macnab criteria was used to evaluate the clinical efficacy at the last follow-up. At the same time, imaging measurements were conducted, including the anterior and posterior disc height, segmental lordotic angle, percentage of slip on lateral X-ray film and the vertebral canal area on axial MRI before and after surgery. Results:All of 103 patients were successfully operated in one stage with an average operation time of 177.7±21.5 min (range, 155-220 min), and an average intraoperative blood loss of 55.9±18.3 ml (range, 30-150 ml). The mean follow-up time were 15.1±2.6 months (range, 6-36 months). There were significant differences in both VAS scores of back and leg and ODI scores at each postoperative time point when compared with preoperative ( F=508.25, F=1524.82, F=1148.68, P<0.001). Macnab criteria of the last follow-up was evaluated as follow: excellent in 85 cases, good in 14, fair in 4, and the excellent and good rate was 96.1%. The radiographic results showed the mean immediate postoperative anterior disc height, posterior disc height, segmental lordotic angle, percentage of slip and axial area of the vertebral canal were 15.23±2.97 mm, 9.32±2.31 mm, 14.36°±4.18°, 3.89%±3.11%, 113.37±47.27 mm 2, and thus all of those increased significantly compared to the mean preoperative 11.93±3.17 mm, 7.21±2.03 mm, 6.15°±3.99°, 23.66%±7.79%, 57.63±28.91 mm 2, respectively ( t=7.84, t=7.07, t=14.91, t=27.62, t=9.68, P<0.001). All cases achieved bony fusion during 6-12 months after operation. The incidence of surgery-related complications was 10.7% (11/103). There were 3 cases of end plate fracture and 2 cases of dural injury, which had no complaint after operation. There was 1 case of pedicle screw entering into the spinal canal by mistake, and the symptoms of nerve damage appeared after operation. After 1 year it basically returned to normal. There were 2 cases of thigh numbness and 1 case of psoas major weakness after operation, all of which relieved after 4 weeks. There was 1 case continuous pain of abdominal incision after surgery. There was 1 case of cage subsidence at the last follow-up. Conclusion:OLIF combined with PTED and posterior pedicle fixation through Wiltse approach is a minimally invasive surgical method for the treatment of lumbar spondylolisthesis accompanied with lumbar spinal stenosis. With the combined minimally invasive techniques, the decompression, fusion and fixation of the lumbar spine can be fulfilled perfectly. It has the advantages of minimally invasive, good clical outcome, few complications and rapid rehabilitation.

Morphological characteristics of L 4, 5 facet joints in degenerative lumbar spondylolisthesis / 中华骨科杂志

Objective:To observe the morphological characteristics of L 4, 5 facet joints in patients with degenerative lumbar spondylolisthesis (DLS) of different spinopelvic types based on Roussouly classification. Methods:We retrospectively analyzed 142 patients with DLS who visited the department of orthopaedics in the Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University from August 2018 to May 2022. There were 33 males aged 65.0±10.7 years and 109 females aged 61.8±9.6 years. The following morphological parameters of the L 4, 5 facet joint were measured on the CT images: facet joint angle (FJA), pedicle facet angle (PFA), facet joint tropism (FT) and facet joint osteoarthritis (OA) degree; the sacral slope (SS), lumbar lordosis (LL) and percentage of L 4 slip distance (SDP) were measured on preoperative standing neutral lumbar radiographs. According to the Roussouly classification, the patients were divided into four groups (type I, type II, type III, and type IV). The differences of morphological parameters of the facet joints and SDP were compared among the four groups, and the correlation between the FJA and PFA was analyzed. Results:There were 142 patients, including 28 type I, 50 type II, 43 type III, and 21 type IV according to the Roussouly classification. The SDPs of type I, type II, type III, and type IV were 19.1%±3.4%, 18.6%±3.9%, 21.7%±3.9%, 25.0%±2.4%, respectively. Except for types I and II, there were statistically significant differences in pairwise comparison among all other types ( P<0.05). The FJAs in type I and type II (31.4°±6.3°, 35.2°±6.8°) were larger than those in type III (28.4°±5.6°) and type IV (23.4°±4.5°), and the FJA in type III was larger than that in type IV. Conversely, the FJA in type I was smaller than that in type II. These differences were statistically significant ( P<0.05). The PFAs in type I and type II (113.9°±4.9°, 111.3°±5.6°) were smaller than those in type III (116.3°±4.4°) and type IV (121.8°±3.5°), and the PFA in type III was smaller than that in type IV, while, the PFA in type I was larger than that in type II. These differences were statistically significant ( P<0.05). The degree of OA in both type I and type II was lower than that in type III and type IV, with statistically significant differences ( P<0.05). However, there were no statistically significant differences in the degree of OA between type I and type II and between type III and type IV ( P> 0.05). Additionally, there were no statistically significant differences ( F=0.40, P=0.752) in the FT values among type I, type II, type III, and type IV (5.8°±2.3°, 5.6°±2.4°, 6.1°±1.8°, 5.9°±1.9°). Pearson correlation analysis showed that FJA was negatively correlated with PFA ( r=-0.68, P<0.001). Conclusion:In the slip segment of DLS, the facet joint morphology was part of the joint configuration in different spinopelvic types, not just the result of joint remodeling after DLS. Morphological characteristics of the facet joints and DLS interacted with each other.

Postoperative bracing on clinical outcomes following posterior lumbar fusion for degenerative lumbar diseases: a meta-analysis / 中华骨科杂志

Objective:To systematically evaluate whether the early use of bracing after posterior lumbar fusion has advantages in terms of the improvement of clinical outcomes such as pain, functional disability, fusion rate, and complication rate in patients with lumbar degenerative diseases.Methods:All randomized controlled trials of bracing performed after posterior lumbar fusion in patients with lumbar degenerative diseases were searched in Pubmed, Web of Science, Embase, China national knowledge infrastructure (CNKI) and Wanfang database from January 1990 to May 2022. The data extracted were authors, year of publication, nationality, subject characteristics, sample size, surgical protocol, type and time of bracing, follow-up duration, preoperative and postoperative Oswestry disability index (ODI) and visual analogue scale (VAS), postoperative fusion rate and complication rate. The Cochrane Risk of Bias tool was used to evaluate the risk of bias. The use of fix- or random-effect models was depended on the magnitude of heterogeneity. Data analysis was performed using Stata 17.0 statistical software for meta analysis.Results:A total of five randomized controlled trials were included, all in English, with a total of 362 patients (male 144, female 218). The results of meta-analysis showed that there was no statistically significant difference in the improvement of ODI scores [ MD=1.25, 95% CI(-2.39, 4.88), P=0.501]and VAS scores[ MD=0.21, 95% CI(-0.22, 0.63), P=0.340]between the brace group and the control group after operation. In terms of fusion rate, there was no significant difference between the brace group and the control group[ OR=0.59, 95% CI(0.25, 1.38), P=0.224]. In addition, there was also no significant difference in the incidence of postoperative complications between two groups[ OR=1.12, 95% CI(0.58, 2.15), P=0.735]. Conclusion:The early use of bracing after lumbar fusion has no significant advantages in improving symptoms and functional recovery, fusion rate and surgical complications. The necessity of postoperative bracing after posterior lumbar fusion requires further high-quality research to prove.