The relationship between adjuvant radiotherapy and survival of osteosarcoma: a case-control study.

To investigate whether adjuvant radiotherapy (RT) is associated with survival rate of osteosarcoma patients. A total of 3938 osteosarcoma patients between 1975 and 2016 from Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database were enrolled in this study. Survival rate was obtained by Kaplan-Meier method, with log-rank test identifying the difference. Multivariate Cox regression analysis was used to explore independent prognostic factors. The 5-year overall survival (OS) and cancer-specific survival (CSS) rates in surgery plus adjuvant RT group and surgery alone group were 38.2%, 66.3% (OS), and 41.6%, 68% (CSS), respectively. Multivariate analysis showed that adjuvant RT served as the independent unfavorable prognostic factor for OS and CSS. Based on the propensity score matching (PSM) method, the patients who received adjuvant RT had a poorer prognosis. Adjuvant RT showed an association with survival of osteosarcoma. Patients who received adjuvant RT had poorer survival. In the clinical use of adjuvant RT for osteosarcoma, the potential for reduced survival should be considered.

Multilevel unilateral versus bilateral pedicular percutaneous vertebroplasty for osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures.

Study design: Retrospective study. Objective: Controversy exists over the need for unilateral vs. bilateral pedicular percutaneous vertebroplasty (PVP) for patients with osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures (OVCFs). Clinical research is scarce comparing two approaches for multi-level PVP. This study aimed at evaluating the clinical and radiographic outcomes of multi-level PVP using two approaches for OVCFs. Methods: Seventy-eight patients with OVCFs undergoing multi-level PVP were enrolled including 36 patients undergoing unilateral PVP and 42 undergoing bilateral PVP. The clinical and radiological assessments including the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), sagittal and coronal segmental Cobb, vertebral compression ratio (VCR), and vertebral sides ratio (VSR) were evaluated preoperatively and postoperatively. Results: All patients achieved a minimum 2-year follow-up. A total of 164 fractured vertebrae were enrolled. Regarding clinical efficacy, the VAS score improved in both groups after surgery, but the two groups did not differ significantly. The changes tendency in Sagittal Segmental Cobb, VSR, and VCR were similar postoperatively, and no statistically significant difference between groups. As for the Coronal Segmental Cobb angle, patients in unilateral and bilateral groups were shown to have 5.0° ± 4.0° and 2.6° ± 2.2° degrees loss of correction at a minimum 2-years follow-up duration, respectively. The loss of correction in the Coronal Segmental Cobb of unilateral group was significantly greater than that of bilateral group. Conclusion: Both multi-level unilateral and bilateral pedicular PVP achieved significant pain reduction and vertebral height restoration. Moreover, the bilateral PVP has shown advantages in stabilizing Coronal Cobb angle in patients with OVCFs.

Correlations between posterior longitudinal injury and parameters of vertebral body damage.

BACKGROUND: The posterior longitudinal ligament (PLL) is an important structure of spinal stability. The loss of vertebral body height, local kyphosis (LK), and canal compromise may lead to spinal instability. This study determined the correlations between injury of the PLL and the loss of vertebrae height, kyphosis, and canal compromise. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective review of a thoracolumbar burst fracture database was conducted from January 2009 to December 2011. Patients were divided into an intact group and a disrupted group according to the status of the PLL. The loss of vertebral height, mid-sagittal canal diameter, and LK was measured. The anterior, middle, and posterior vertebral compression ratios (AVBCR, MVBCR, and PVBCR) and mid-sagittal diameter compression ratio (MSDCR) were calculated. RESULTS: Forty-seven patients were included in the study, including 25 patients in the intact group and 22 patients in the disrupted group. There were significant differences in the AVBCR (t = -3.048, P = 0.004), MVBCR (t = -2.301, P = 0.048), PVBCR (t = -2.116, P = 0.040), and MSDCR (t = -4.095, P = 0.000) but no difference in the LK (t = 0.408, P = 0.686) between the two groups. There was a positive correlation between the injury of the PLL and the MSDCR (r = 0.428, P < 0.01), AVBCR (r = 0.372, P < 0.01), and PVBCR (r = 0.271, P < 0.05). There was no correlation between the injury of the PLL and the LK and MVBCR. CONCLUSIONS: The MVBCR and LK are not predictive of a PLL injury. The MSDCR, AVBCR, and PVBCR were associated with a PLL injury.

Study on different surgical approaches for acute Lumber disk protrusion combined with Cauda Equina Syndrome.

To compare the long and short term effectiveness and complications of different surgical approaches for Lumber disk protrusion combined with Cauda Equina Syndrome and find a better surgical method for the disease. In this study, follow up records of 144 patients received conventional laminectomy and minimally invasive decompression and fenestration 48 hours within acute injury of lumber disk protrusion combined with Cauda Equina Syndrome were analyzed. Surgical outcome immediately and 3, 6, 12, 36 months after the surgery were compared to evaluate the effectiveness two different approaches. The results indicated that there are no significant differences regarding age, sexual proportion, body mass index (BMI), visual analogue scale of pain (VAS) score as well as Frankel scores before the surgery, and significant differences VAS score as well as Frankel scores immediately after the surgery. In conclusion, minimally invasive decompression and fenestration can be of the same effectiveness and less complications comparing with the conventional laminectomy.