Prediction Model and Risk Factor Analysis of Adjacent Segment Disease After L4-5 Transforaminal Lumbar Interbody Fusion Through Preoperative Radiographic Features.

STUDY DESIGN: A retrospective study. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the risk of adjacent segment disease (ASD) after L4-5 transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (TLIF) in patients diagnosed with lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS), a prediction model for ASD is established and validated. METHODS: A retrospective study was carried out on a sample of 290 patients who underwent L4-5 TLIF at Zhongda Hospital, Southeast University, from January 2015 to January 2021. The study collected baseline data and preoperative radiographic features of L3-4 and L5-S1. The determination of the outcome variable was based on X-ray results spanning over 24 months and JOA scores. Multivariate logistic regression was used to identify the risk factors in constructing a nomogram. RESULTS: Independent risk factors for L3-4 degeneration after TLIF included osteoarthritis of L3-4 facet joints, L3-4 foraminal stenosis, L4 upper endplate osteochondritis, L3-4 local lordosis angle, and L3-4 spinal stenosis. Independent risk factors for L5-S1 degeneration after TLIF included osteoarthritis of L5-S1 facet joints, L5-S1 intervertebral disc degeneration, L5-S1 spinal stenosis, L5-S1 coronal imbalance, and S1 upper endplate osteochondritis. A predictive model was developed. The AUC for the prediction models at L3-4 and L5-S1 were .945 and .956. The calibration curve demonstrated good consistency between the predicted and actual probabilities. The DCA curve indicated the clinical benefit and practical value of this predictive model. CONCLUSION: This study established nomograms for postoperative degeneration at L3-4 and L5-S1 based on selected preoperative radiographic features. These models provide a valuable auxiliary decision-making system for clinicians and aid in early surgical decisions.

Steel Automotive Wheel Rims-Data Fusion for the Precise Identification of the Technical Condition and Indication of the Approaching End of Service Life.

Steel automotive wheel rims are subject to wear and tear, down to the end of their service life. Manufacturers use standard destructive tests to determine the probable lifetime of the car wheel rim. With this approach, to predict the remaining use time, it is necessary to know the initial parameters of the wheel rim, actual mileage, and its use characteristics, which is difficult information to obtain in the real world. Moreover, this work shows that a vehicle's technical condition can affect the rim's remaining service time. This work describes a new method of precise binary identification of the technical condition of steel car wheel rims using the dispersion of damping factors which result from experimental modal analysis. This work also proposes a new method of indicating the approaching end of wheel rim service life with limited parameters: run-out, average of damping factors, and dispersion of damping factors. The proposed procedure requires two sequential examinations of the rim in standard periods related to the average annual mileage of the vehicle. On this basis, it is possible to indicate the approaching end of the life of the steel rims about 10,000 km in advance.

Endoplasmic reticulum stress-mediated autophagy alleviates lipopolysaccharide-induced nucleus pulposus cell pyroptosis by inhibiting CHOP signaling in vitro.

Pyroptosis, a newly discovered pro-inflammatory programmed necrosis of cells, serves as an initiating and promoting event that leads to intervertebral disc (IVD) degeneration (IDD). Endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS) and autophagy are vital regulatory mechanisms of cellular homeostasis, which is also closely related to IDD. However, the role and relationship of ERS and autophagy in the pyroptosis of nucleus pulposus cell (NPC) are not well understood. In this research, we aimed to elucidate the role and mechanism of ERS-C/EBP homologous protein (CHOP) in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced cell pyroptosis and determine its interaction with autophagy. ERS and autophagy inducers or inhibitors were used or not in the preconditioning of rat NPCs. Cell viability, pyroptosis-related protein expression, caspase-1 activity assay, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay were performed to observe rat NPC pyroptosis after the treatment of LPS. Activation of the ERS pathway and autophagy were assessed by quantitative real-time PCR, western blot analyses, and immunofluorescence staining assay to classify the molecular mechanisms. Our results showed that LPS stimulation induced NPC pyroptosis with concomitant activation of the ERS-CHOP pathway and initiated autophagy. Activation of the ERS-CHOP pathway exacerbated rat NPC pyroptosis, whereas autophagy inhibited cell pyroptosis. LPS-induced cell pyroptosis and CHOP upregulation were negatively regulated by autophagy. LPS-induced autophagy was depressed by the ERS inhibitor but aggravated by the ERS inducer. Taken together, our findings suggested that LPS induced NPC pyroptosis by activating ERS-CHOP signaling and ERS mediated LPS-induced autophagy, which in turn alleviated NPC pyroptosis by inhibiting CHOP signaling.

Is unilateral-approach full-endoscopic lumbar fusion effective for single-level lumbar spondylolisthesis with bilateral symptoms? A preliminary report of 43 CT analysis.

PURPOSE: To investigate the clinical results and radiological parameters changes after unilateral-approach endoscopic lumbar interbody fusion (Endo-LIF) for lumbar spondylolisthesis with bilateral symptoms. METHODS: 43 single-level lumbar spondylolisthesis patients with bilateral lower limb symptoms were included from June 2020 to May 2022. All patients underwent unilateral-approach Endo-LIF and postoperative computed tomography. Radiological parameters including disk height (DH), degree of upper vertebral slip (DUVS), and foramen intervertebral parameters including bilateral foraminal height (FH), contralateral foraminal areas (FA) were evaluated. The clinical outcomes including low back pain and bilateral leg pain were evaluated using Visual Analog Scale (VAS) and the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) before and after surgery. RESULTS: All cases were successfully completed surgery and followed for average 15.16 ± 5.2 months. DH (44% ± 11%) and DUVS were significantly improvement postoperatively compared with preoperatively (p < 0.05). Statistically significant increases in bilateral FH (25% ± 11% on the surgical side, 17% ± 8% on the contralateral side) and contralateral FA (26% ± 6%) were observed (p < 0.05). The VAS and the ODI scores were significantly decreased in comparison with the preoperative scores (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Unilateral-approach with contralateral indirect decompression in Endo-LIF can acquire satisfactory clinical outcomes. Therefore, unilateral-approach Endo-LIF may be a promising option for lumbar spondylolisthesis with bilateral symptoms.

Systematic Characterization of Active Antitumor Constituents from the Shaggy Bracket Medicinal Mushroom Inonotus hispidus (Agaricomycetes) by UPLC-Q-TOF/MS and Network Pharmacology.

Inonotus hispidus is a well-known medicinal fungus and has been used in the treatment of cancer in China, but the material basis and potential mechanisms are still limited. The present study aimed to use in vitro experiments, UPLC-Q-TOF/MS and network pharmacology to predict active compounds and possible mechanisms of cultivated and wild I. hispidus. The cytotoxicity results in vitro showed that the extracts of cultivated and wild fruit bodies exhibited the highest inhibitory effects against MDA-MB-231 cells, and the 50% inhibition concentration, (IC50) values were 59.82 and 92.09 µg/mL, respectively. Of the two extracts, a total of 30 possible chemical components, including 21 polyphenols and nine fatty acids, were identified. Network pharmacology showed that five active polyphenols (osmundacetone, isohispidin, inotilone, hispolon, and inonotusin A) and 11 potential targets (HSP90AA1, AKT1, STAT3, EGFR, ESR1, PIK3CA, HIF1A, ERBB2, TERT, EP300 and HSP90AB1) were found to be closely associated with antitumor activity. Furthermore, 18 antitumor-related pathways were identified using the compound-target-pathway network. The molecular docking revealed that the active polyphenols had a good binding ability to the core targets, and the results were consistent with those of network pharmacology. Based on these findings, we speculate that I. hispidus can exert its antitumor activity through multicomponent, multitarget, and multichannel mechanisms of action.

Which Criterion for Wound Drain Removal is Better Following Posterior 1-Level or 2-Level Lumbar Fusion With Instrumentation: Time Driven or Output Driven?

STUDY DESIGN: Case-control study. OBJECTIVES: To compare the outcomes of 2 different criteria (time driven and output driven) for wound drain removal and identify which one is better. METHODS: 743 patients who underwent posterior lumbar fusion with instrumentation involving 1 or 2 motion segments were enrolled in this study. Based on the different criteria for drain removal, the patients were divided into 2 groups. The drains were discontinued by time driven (postoperative day 2) in group I and output driven (<50 ml per day) in group II. Demographic characteristics, perioperative parameters and clinical outcomes were compared between the 2 groups. RESULTS: The demographic characteristics in both groups were comparable. The postoperative drain output, total blood loss, postoperative timing of ambulation, and postoperative duration of hospital stay in group I were lower than those in group II (P < 0.001). There was a higher proportion of patients requiring postoperative blood transfusion in group II, but not to a level of statistical significance (P = 0.054). There was no statistical significant difference in the incidence of surgical site infection (SSI) or symptomatic spinal epidural hematoma (SEH) between the 2 groups (P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: This study reveals that there are more benefits of wound drain removal by time driven than that by output driven for patients undergoing posterior 1-level or 2-level lumbar fusion with instrumentation, including less postoperative drain output, less total blood loss, earlier postoperative timing of ambulation and less postoperative duration of hospital stay without increasing the incidence of postoperative SSI or symptomatic SEH.

Instrumented fusion versus instrumented non-fusion following expansive open-door laminoplasty for multilevel cervical ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament.

PURPOSE: To compare the outcomes of expansive open-door laminoplasty with instrumented fusion (ELIF) and expansive open-door laminoplasty with instrumented non-fusion (ELINF) for multilevel cervical ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament (OPLL). METHODS: Patients who underwent ELIF or ELINF due to multilevel cervical OPLL from June 2013 to June 2019 were identified. Clinical and radiological outcomes were compared between the two groups. RESULTS: A total of 78 patients were enrolled in this study with a minimum follow-up of 24 months, including 42 patients in the ELIF group and 36 patients in the ELINF group. At the final follow-up, sagittal vertical axis (SVA) and C2-C7 Cobb angle in the ELIF group were significantly better than those in the ELINF group, and cervical range of movement (ROM) in the ELIF group decreased significantly than that in the ELINF group. The incidence of OPLL progression at the final follow-up was 4.76% (2/42) in the ELIF group and 27.78% (10/36) in the ELINF group. Postoperative Japanese Orthopaedic Association (JOA) score, neck disability index (NDI), and visual analog scale (VAS) score improved significantly in each group, but JOA score and recovery rate (RR) in the ELIF group were significantly better than those in the ELINF group at the final follow-up. When K-line was positive, the difference in the final JOA score between the two groups was not significant, but the RR in the ELIF group was significantly better than that in the ELINF group. When K-line was negative, the final JOA score and RR in the ELIF group were significant higher than those in the ELINF group. CONCLUSIONS: ELIF and ELINF were two effective surgical procedures for treating multilevel cervical OPLL. However, ELIF was superior to ELINF due to better postoperative JOA score and RR, significant improvement of C2-C7 Cobb angle and maintenance of SVA, and suppressant effect on OPLL progression, especially for patients with K-line ( - ) OPLL.

Effectiveness of lobulated pedicled rectus abdominis myocutaneous flap for repairing huge chest wall defect / 中国修复重建外科杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To explore the effectiveness of lobulated pedicled rectus abdominis myocutaneous flap to repair huge chest wall defect.@*METHODS@#Between June 2021 and June 2022, 14 patients with huge chest wall defects were treated with radical resection of the lesion and lobulated pedicled rectus abdominis myocutaneous flap transplantation for reconstruction of chest wall defects. The patients included 5 males and 9 females with an average age of 44.2 years (range, 32-57 years). The size of skin and soft tissue defect ranged from 20 cm×16 cm to 22 cm×22 cm. The bilateral pedicled rectus abdominis myocutaneous flaps in size of 26 cm×8 cm to 35 cm×14 cm were prepaired and cut into two skin paddles with basically equal area according to the actual defect size of the chest wall. After the lobulated pedicled rectus abdominis myocutaneous flap was transferred to the defect, there were two reshaping methods. The first method was that the skin paddle at the lower position and opposite side was unchanged, and the skin paddle at the effected side was rotated by 90° (7 cases). The second method was that the two skin paddles were rotated 90° respectively (7 cases). The donor site was sutured directly.@*RESULTS@#All 14 flaps survived successfully and the wound healed by first intention. The incisions at donor site healed by first intention. All patients were followed up 6-12 months (mean, 8.7 months). The appearance and texture of the flaps were satisfactory. Only linear scar was left at the donor site, and the appearance and activity of the abdominal wall were not affected. No local recurrence was found in all tumor patients, and distant metastasis occurred in 2 breast cancer patients (1 liver metastasis and 1 lung metastasis).@*CONCLUSION@#The lobulated pedicled rectus abdominis myocutaneous flap in repair of huge chest wall defect can ensure the safety of blood supply of the flap to the greatest extent, ensure the effective and full use of the flap tissue, and reduce postoperative complications.

Different forms of free radial collateral artery perforator flaps for reconstruction after removal of oral tumors / 中华耳鼻咽喉头颈外科杂志

Objective: To investigate the efficacies of different forms of free radial collateral artery perforator flaps in repairing the defects after oral tumor surgeries. Methods: From May 2016 to March 2021, 28 patients (22 males, 6 females, aged 35-62 years) with oral tumors admitted by Hunan Cancer Hospital received the reconstructive surgeries with the free radial collateral artery perforator flaps after removal of oral tumors, including 24 cases of tongue cancer (11 cases of tongue marginal cancer, 9 cases of tongue belly cancer and 4 cases of tongue cancer involved in the floor of the mouth) and 4 cases of buccal and oral cancer. Four forms of radial collateral artery perforator flaps were used: single perforator flaps for 6 cases, double perforators flaps for 7 cases, flaps without perforator visualization for 10 cases and chimeric perforator myocutaneous flaps for 5 cases. The recipient vessels were the superior thyroid artery and superior thyroid vein, and if second concomitant vein available, it was anastomosed with internal jugular vein in end-to-side fashion. SPSS 20.0 statistical software was used to analyze the data. Results: The mean length of flaps was (9.7±0.4) cm, mean width (4.4±0.3) cm and mean thickness (1.1±0.4) cm. The mean length of the vascular pedicles was (7.1±0.6)cm (6.0-8.0 cm), the mean diameter of the radial accessory arteries was (1.1±0.3)mm (0.8-1.3 mm). Eleven cases(39.3%) had respectively one accompanying vein and 17 cases(60.7%) had respectively two accompanying veins, with the mean diameter of (1.1±0.3) mm (0.8-1.3 mm). All the 28 flaps survived, the donor and recipient wounds healed in one stage, the appearances of the flaps were satisfactory, only linear scars remained in the donor sites, and the upper arm functions were not significantly affected. Follow up for 12-43 months showed that the flaps were soft with partially mucosalization, the reconstructed tongue and buccal cavity were in good shape, and the swallowing and language functions were satisfactory. The swallowing and language functions were retained to the greatest extent in 3 cases with near total tongue resection, although the functions were still significantly affected. There was no local recurrence of the tumor during follow-up. One case had regional lymph node metastasis, and further lymph node dissection and comprehensive treatment were performed, with satisfactory outcomes. Conclusions: The vascular pedicle of the radial collateral artery perforator flap has a constant anatomy, which can be prepared in different forms to improve the safety of the operation and minimize the donor site damage. It is an ideal choice for the repair of small and medium-sized defects after oral tumor surgery.

Anatomical classification of adductor magnus perforator flap and its application in head and neck reconstruction / 中华耳鼻咽喉头颈外科杂志

Objective: To investigate the anatomical classification of adductor magnus perforator flap and its application in head and neck reconstruction. Methods: From January 2017 to January 2020, Hunan Cancer Hospital treated 27 cases of oral tumor patients (15 cases of tongue cancer, 9 cases of gingival cancer and 3 cases of buccal cancer), including 24 males and 3 females, aged 31-56 years old. The course of disease was 1-12 months. Secondary soft tissue defects with the sizes of 5.0 cm × 3.5 cm to 11.0 cm × 8.0 cm were left after radical resection of the tumors, and were repaired with free adductor magnus perforator flaps. The flaps based on the origing locations of perforator vessels were divided into three categories: ① intramuscular perforator: vessel originated between the gracilis muscle and the adductor magnus or passed through a few adductor magnus muscles; ② adductor magnus middle layer perforator: vessel run between the deep and superficial layers of adductor magnus; ③ adductor magnus deep layer perforator: vessel run between the deep layer of adductor magnus and the semimembranous muscle. Descriptive analysis was used in this research. Results: Perforator vessels of adductor magnus were found in all cases, with a total of 62 perforator branches of adductor magnus. The anatomical classification of the perforator vessels was as follows: 12 branches for class ①, 31 branches for class ② and 19 branches for class ③. The vascular pedicles of the free adductor major perforator flaps included type ① for 3 cases, type ② for 16 cases and type ③ for 8 cases. All 27 flaps survived and the donor sites were closed directly. In 18 cases, the perforator arteries and the venae comitan were respectively anastomosed with the superior thyroid arteries and veins. In 9 cases, the pedicle arteries and the venae comitan were respectively anastomosed with the facial arteries and veins. Follow up for 12-40 months showed that the appearances of the flaps and the swallowing and language functions of patients were satisfactory, apart from linear scars were left in the donor sites with no significant affect on the functions of thigh. Local recurrence occurred in 3 cases and radical surgeries were performed again followed by repairs with pedicled pectoralis major myocutaneous flaps. Cervical lymph node metastasis occurred in 2 cases and cervical lymph node dissection was performed again. Conclusions: The adductor magnus perforator flap has soft texture, constant perforator vessel anatomy, flexible donor location and harvesting forms, and less damage to the donor site. It is an ideal choice for postoperative reconstruction in head and neck tumors.

Intraoperative Endplate Injury Following Transforaminal Lumbar Interbody Fusion.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the incidence, distribution characteristics, risk factors, and clinical outcomes of intraoperative endplate injury (EI) following transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion. METHODS: Patients who underwent single-level transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion from January 2018 to December 2020 were included. The patients were separated into EI and non-EI groups based on computed tomography obtained immediately postoperatively. Demographic, clinical, and radiographic parameters of all patients were analyzed. Clinical outcomes were evaluated by visual analog scale for low back pain and Oswestry Disability Index. RESULTS: This study enrolled 576 patients. Rates of EI were 19.6% (113/576) of patients and 9.9% (114/1152) of endplates. The rate of superior EI was significantly higher than that of inferior EI. The results showed that older age, lower disc height index, and taller cage height were independent risk factors for intraoperative EI. Postoperative drain output, total blood loss, postoperative duration of drainage tube, and postoperative hospital stay in the EI group were significantly greater than in the non-EI group. There were no statistical differences in Oswestry Disability Index and visual analog scale scores at the same time point between the groups. CONCLUSIONS: Rates of EI were 19.6% of patients and 9.9% of endplates. Superior endplates were more susceptible to injury than inferior endplates. Older age, lower disc height index, and taller cage height were independent risk factors for intraoperative EI. Clinical outcomes were not affected by intraoperative EI during early postoperative follow-up.

Underlying Mechanisms and Related Diseases Behind the Complex Regulatory Role of NOD-Like Receptor X1.

Among nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain (NOD)-like receptors (NLRs), NOD-like receptor X1 (NLRX1) is the only known NLR family member that is targeted to the mitochondria, which contains a C-terminal leucine-rich repeat domain, a central conserved nucleotide-binding domain, and an unconventional N-terminal effector domain. It is unique due to several atypical features, such as mitochondrial localization, noninflammasome forming, and relatively undefined N-terminal domain. NLRX1 has multiple functions, including negative regulation of type-I interferon signaling, attenuation of proinflammatory nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) signaling, autophagy induction, modulation of reactive oxygen species production, cell death regulation, and participating in cellular senescence. In addition, due to its diverse functions, NLRX1 has been associated with various human diseases, including respiratory, circulatory, motor, urinary, nervous, and digestive systems, to name but a few. However, the exact regulatory mechanisms of NLRX1 are still unclear in many related diseases since conflicting and controversial topics on NLRX1 in the previous studies remain. In this review, we review recent research advances on the underlying mechanisms and related disorders behind the complex regulatory role of NLRX1, which may provide a promising target to prevent and/or treat the corresponding diseases.

Unfolded protein response alleviates acid-induced premature senescence by promoting autophagy in nucleus pulposus cells.

Acid-induced cellular senescence is a critical underlying mechanism of intervertebral disc (IVD) degeneration (IDD). Acid stimulation activates a variety of biological changes including autophagy, endoplasmic reticulum stress, and related unfolded protein response (UPR), which are important regulators of cellular senescence. However, the precise mechanism of acid-mediated UPR and autophagy in nucleus pulposus cell (NPC) senescence has not been fully elucidated. In this study, we used acid to mimic the acidic microenvironment of IVD, and rat NPCs were cultured with or without autophagy or UPR signaling small-interfering RNAs. The related proteins and genes were assessed by immunofluorescence staining assay, Western blot analyses, and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction to monitor the activation of these signals and classify the molecular mechanisms underlying the correlation between autophagy and UPR pathway. Cell cycle analyses, senescence-associated ß-galactosidase staining, gene expression, and immunoblotting analyses were performed to observe NPC senescence. Results showed that acid stimulation not only induced NPC senescence, but also initiated UPR and autophagy. Silencing the binding immunoglobulin protein signaling of UPR or autophagy signaling promoted rat NPC senescence. Knock-down of the UPR also blocked NPC autophagy. Taken together, UPR inhibits NPC senescence under acidic condition by activating autophagy. Hence, UPR-dependent autophagy could be an effective biologic target for the treatment of IDD in the future.

Correlations of long working hours and shift work with sleep of migrant workers / 环境与职业医学

Background Long working hours (LWH) and shift work are harmful to the physical and mental health of occupational groups. Objective To understand the status quo of LWH and shift work of migrant workers in Shanghai, and to analyze the influence of the above two factors on sleep of the population. Methods From July to September 2018, a cross-sectional survey using questionnaires was conducted among 3215 in-service employees at seven workplaces with more than 300 employees in six selected districts of Shanghai using multi-stage random sampling method. A total of 2976 valid questionnaires were collected, with a valid response rate of 92.6%. The questionnaires included general demographic characteristics, personal health behavior, work-related factors, weekly working hours, shift work, and sleep. Univariate analysis and logistic regression analysis were used to investigate the relationships of LWH and shift work with sleep, and an interaction item was included to evaluate potential interaction between LWH and shift work. Result The average age of the subjects was (30.98±9.49) years old, the male to female ratio was 1∶1.20, and 2382 workers were reported without local residency (80.0%). Among the migrant workers, the average weekly working hours was (57.23±13.14) h, the proportions of LWH (weekly working hours>40 h), extra LWH (weekly working hours>55 h), and shift work were 80.6% (1919/2382), 60.3% (1436/2382), and 25.4% (600/2366), respectively, all above were significantly higher than those of local workers. The prevalence rates of insomnia and lack of sleep among the migrant workers were 46.3% (1091/2356) and 25.4% (597/2354), respectively. The results of logistic regression model showed that after adjusting demographic characteristics such as gender, age, education level, and monthly income, as well as occupation and personal health behavior, compared with working hours ≤40 h per week, working 55-60 h per week was a risk factor for insomnia of migrant workers (OR=1.33, 95%CI: 1.02-1.72), while working >60 h per week was a risk factor for both insomnia (OR=1.37, 95%CI: 1.05-1.78) and insufficient sleep (OR=1.73, 95%CI: 1.28-2.35) of migrant workers. Shift work was only associated with insomnia (OR=1.37, 95%CI: 1.11-1.69). Meanwhile, working hours>60 h per week and shift work had an interaction effect on insomnia of migrant workers (OR=2.35, 95%CI: 1.20-4.60). Conclusion LWH and shift work are prominent among migrant workers, and there is an interaction between LWH and shift work with insomnia.

Application value of indocyanine green fluorescence in sentinel lymph node biopsy for early-stage tongue cancer and oropharyngeal cancer / 中南大学学报(医学版)

OBJECTIVES@#Occult cervical lymph node metastasis is the most important reason for recurrence of early-stage tongue cancer and oropharyngeal cancer. Cervical sentinel lymph node (SLN) biopsy may help to identify them. Pigment dyes and radionuclide were used to label SLN. Both of them had shortage. This study aims to investigate the application and clinical value of indocyanine green fluorescence imaging in cervical SLN biopsy for patients with early-stage tongue cancer and oropharyngeal cancer.@*METHODS@#Retrospective analysis was conducted on 23 patients with early tongue cancer and oropharyngeal cancer, who received surgical treatment and used indocyanine green as a tracer to find SLN in Hunan Cancer Hospital from April to October 2021. The detection rate of SLN was calculated and the distribution of SLN in different regions of the neck was analyzed.@*RESULTS@#SLN was successfully identified in 22 of 23 patients, with a detection rate of 95.65%. Among these 22 patients, 3 patients were found to have cancer metastasis, and the rate of occult lymph node metastasis was 13.63%. No pathologically positive lymph nodes were detected in SLN-negative patients, and thus the positive predictive rate was 100%. For patients with primary lesions located in the anterior 2/3 of the tongue, the constituent ratios of SLN in neck area I, II, III, and IV were 15.15%, 71.72%, 13.13%, and 0, respectively. For patients with primary lesions located in base of the tongue, the constituent ratios of SLN in neck area I, II, III, and IV were 0, 44.44%, 44.44%, and 11.12%, respectively.@*CONCLUSIONS@#Indocyanine green fluorescence imaging has a high detection rate with accurate positive prediction in the anterior cervical SLN biopsy in patients with early-stage tongue cancer and oropharyngeal cancer. Meanwhile, it can also reflect the lymphatic drainage of tumors located at different primary sites, which has high clinical value.

A Novel Technique for Treating Early Deep Surgical Site Infection After Posterior Lumbar Fusion with Instrumentation.

OBJECTIVE: To introduce a novel technique of using incisional vacuum-assisted closure (VAC) after 1-stage incision suture combined with closed suction irrigation system (CSIS) for treating early deep surgical site infection (SSI) after posterior lumbar fusion with instrumentation and to compare it with traditional CSIS. METHODS: This was a retrospective study. Patients with early deep SSI after posterior lumbar fusion with instrumentation from January 2013 to May 2020 who were treated by meticulous debridement followed by either CSIS or incisional VAC after 1-stage incision suture combined with CSIS were identified. The demographic characteristics, treatment features, and outcomes were analyzed and compared between the 2 treatment methods. RESULTS: A total of 48 patients (48/5016, 0.96%) developed early deep SSI, 46 of whom were enrolled in this study. This included 24 patients in the CSIS group (group 1) and 22 patients in the incisional VAC after 1-stage incision suture combined with CSIS group (group 2). All patients received follow-up, with an average of 19.7 months (range, 13-30 months). There were no significant differences in demographic characteristics in both groups (P > 0.05). The number of VAC foam dressing or ordinary dressing changes (P < 0.001), number of debridements (P = 0.028), intravenous antibiotic duration (P = 0.042), oral antibiotic duration (P = 0.019), and hospital stay (P = 0.029) in group 1 were significantly higher than those in group 2. The irrigation duration in group 1 was significantly shorter than that in group 2 (P = 0.007). All patients were eventually cured with satisfactory outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: Compared with CSIS, incisional VAC after 1-stage incision suture combined with CSIS may be recommended considering that it has fewer dressing changes, fewer debridements, longer irrigation duration, shorter duration of antibiotic use, shorter hospital stay, and more convenient nursing care.

The use of incisional vacuum-assisted closure system following one-stage incision suture combined with continuous irrigation to treat early deep surgical site infection after posterior lumbar fusion with instrumentation.

BACKGROUND: Previous reports concerning deep surgical site infection (SSI) after posterior spinal instrumentation treated with vacuum-assisted closure (VAC) system indicated that most patients must suffer from a delayed incision suture. To date, there are no published reports about the application of incisional VAC following a one-stage incision suture in the treatment of spinal infections. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the feasibility and efficacy of using an incisional VAC system following a one-stage incision suture combined with continuous irrigation to treat early deep SSI after posterior lumbar fusion with instrumentation. METHODS: Twenty-one patients who were identified as early deep SSI after posterior lumbar fusion with instrumentation were treated by incisional VAC following a one-stage incision suture combined with continuous irrigation at our spine surgery center between January 2014 and March 2020. Detailed data from medical records were collected and analyzed, including age, gender, primary diagnosis, original operation, number of VAC dressing changes, duration of continuous irrigation, hospital stay, risk factors for infection, bacteria type, and laboratory data. Clinical efficacy was assessed using the pre- and postoperative visual analog scale (VAS) for back pain and Kirkaldy-Willis functional criteria by regular follow-up. RESULTS: All the patients were cured and retained implants with an average of 1.9 times of VAC dressing replacement, and an average of 10.2 days of continuous irrigation. There were significant differences between pre-operation and post-operation in ESR, CRP, and VAS score of back pain, respectively (P < 0.05). The satisfactory rate was 90.5% according to Kirkaldy-Willis functional criteria. One patient developed a back skin rash with itching around the wound because of long-time contact with the VAC dressing. There was no recurrent infection or other complications during follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: Our preliminary results support that the treatment protocol is feasible and effective to treat early deep SSI following posterior lumbar fusion with instrumentation.

Risk Factors for Increased Surgical Drain Output After Transforaminal Lumbar Interbody Fusion.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the risk factors for increased surgical drain output after transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (TLIF). METHODS: Patients who underwent TLIF in a single center from June 2017 to January 2020 were included in this study. They were divided into the increased surgical drain output group and no increased surgical drain output group according to the boundary of the median drain output. Patients' demographic and clinical parameters were compared between the 2 groups. Risk factors for increased surgical drain output were identified by univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: This study enrolled 368 patients who underwent TLIF. Among them, 187 patients had increased surgical drain output (drain output ≥50th percentile or 480 mL). Univariate analysis showed that age (P < 0.001), smoking status (P = 0.002), number of fused levels (P < 0.001), intraoperative blood loss (P < 0.001), intraoperative end plate injury (P < 0.001), administration of tranexamic acid (TXA) (P = 0.002), and surgical duration (P < 0.001) were significantly associated with increased surgical drain output. Multiple logistic regression analysis revealed that older age (P = 0.001), smoking (P = 0.005), more fused levels (P < 0.001), and intraoperative end plate injury (P = 0.017) were the independent risk factors, while administration of TXA (P = 0.012) was a protective factor. CONCLUSIONS: This study showed that older age, smoking, more fused levels, and intraoperative end plate injury were the independent risk factors, while administration of TXA was a protective factor for increased surgical drain output after TLIF.

Radiological risk factors for recurrent lumbar disc herniation after percutaneous transforaminal endoscopic discectomy: a retrospective matched case-control study.

PURPOSE: To investigate radiological risk factors for recurrent lumbar disc herniation (rLDH) after percutaneous transforaminal endoscopic discectomy (PTED). METHODS: Patients who underwent PTED due to a single-level L4-L5 or L5-S1 disc herniation from January 2013 to May 2019 were enrolled in this study. A matched case-control design was carried out in a single institution. Cases were defined as those who developed rLDH, and controls were matched from those patients without rLDH according to corresponding clinical characteristics. The radiological parameters were compared between two groups. The radiological risk factors for rLDH after PTED were identified by univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: A total of 2186 patients who underwent PTED at L4-L5 or L5-S1 level were enrolled in this study. Sixty-eight patients were diagnosed with rLDH, and 136 patients were selected from the remaining 2118 nonrecurrent patients as matched controls. Univariate analysis demonstrated that herniation type (P = 0.009), surgical-level disc degeneration (P < 0.001), adjacent-level disc degeneration (P = 0.017), disc height index (DHI) (P = 0.003), and sagittal range of motion (sROM) (P < 0.001) were significantly related to rLDH. Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that low grade of surgical-level disc degeneration (P < 0.001), senior grade of adjacent-level disc degeneration (P < 0.001), a high DHI (P = 0.012), and a large sROM (P < 0.001) were the radiological independent risk factors. CONCLUSION: This study showed that low grade of surgical-level disc degeneration, senior grade of adjacent-level disc degeneration, a high DHI, and a large sROM were the radiological independent risk factors for rLDH after PTED.

Clinical efficacy of immediate breast reconstruction with silicone prosthesis after nipple areolar sparing mastectomy for breast cancer / 中华医学美学美容杂志

Objective:To explore clinical application value of immediate breast reconstruction with silicone prosthesis after nipple areolar sparing mastectomy for breast cancer.Methods:The clinical data of 30 breast cancer patients underwent immediate breast reconstruction with the silicone prosthesis after nipple areolar sparing mastectomy from January 2016 to January 2018 were collected. In the observation group, 15 patients underwent immediate breast reconstruction with the silicone prosthesis after nipple areolar sparing mastectomy. In the control group, 15 patients underwent conventional modified radical mastectomy only. The differences of operation indicator and postoperative complications between the two groups were compared, and the postoperative cosmetic effects were evaluated.Results:The patients successfully completed prosthetic breast reconstruction in the observation group. The surgical time and indwelling time of the drainage tube in the observation group were both increased compared with the control group, and the difference was statistically significant ( t=118.8 and t=23.9, P<0.05). There were no statistically significant differences between the two groups in the complications of postoperative flap necrosis, subcutaneous hematoma, intraoperative infection and incision dehiscence ( P>0.05). The total complications rate of the observation group was 40%, compared with the control group (20%), there were not statistically significant differences ( P>0.05). The postoperative aesthetic effect evaluation showed that the reconstructed breast was full in shape and basically symmetrical to the contralateral side, with an excellent and good rate of 83.3%. The patients were satisfied with the appearance of the breast. All patients were followed up for 12 to 36 months with the average time of 24 months, and local recurrence and distant metastasis were not observed. Conclusions:In the modified radical mastectomy for breast cancer with preserved nipple and areola, the immediate application of silicone prosthesis for breast reconstruction has the advantages of less trauma, faster postoperative recovery and better cosmetic effect, which is worthy of clinical application.