[Nonspecific craniovertebral spondylitis]. / Nespetsificheskie spondility kraniovertebral'noi oblasti.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze surgical strategy for nonspecific spondylitis of the craniovertebral region (CVR) taking into account clinical features and morphological signs of disease. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Eight patients with nonspecific spondylitis of CVR underwent surgery (4 women and 4 men aged 31-75 years). Three patients had pain syndrome, 5 ones - conduction disorders. Combined interventions were performed in 5 patients with neurological disorders. Of these, 3 patients underwent transoral decompression with subsequent occipitospondylodesis. In other cases, stages of surgical treatment were reverse. Four patients underwent simultaneous interventions, 1 patient - with 7-day interval. Patients with pain syndrome underwent occipitospondylodesis. RESULTS: In all patients, postoperative VAS score of pain syndrome decreased by 5-7 points (mean 5.5). Among 5 patients with conduction symptoms, regression of neurological disorders 1 year after surgery was achieved in 2 cases, and complete recovery was observed in 3 patients (Frankel E). In all cases, examination confirmed relief of inflammatory process and no compression of the spinal cord and medulla oblongata. One patient had a dehiscence of the wound edges of posterior pharyngeal wall, and another one had implant fracture in 3 years after surgery. CONCLUSION: Active surgical approach is reasonable for nonspecific spondylitis of CVR. Craniocervical fixation eliminates pain and risk of neurological complications following atlantoaxial instability. Conduction disorders require simultaneous transoral decompression and occipitospondylodesis in patients with nonspecific purulent craniovertebral lesions. Impaired head tilt complicates transoral stage. In this regard, it is more rational to carry out craniocervical fixation at the last stage.

Early rehabilitation vs. conventional immobilization in nonoperative treatment of proximal humeral fracture: a systematic review.

OBJECTIVE: Fractures of the proximal humerus (PHF) are commonly treated conservatively. Evidence suggests that a period of immobilization of one week or less may lead to some advantages compared to a traditional 3-4 weeks of immobilization. The purpose of this systematic review was to assess the clinical and radiological results in the case of early rehabilitation vs. delayed rehabilitation after PHF. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In July 2023, a literature search was carried out on the PubMed, MEDLINE, and Embase databases to identify all the randomized trials comparing early rehabilitation vs. delayed rehabilitation after PHF. The following data were extracted from each included study: patients' demographics, study design and level of evidence, follow-up times, treatment groups, evaluation scores adopted, and overall clinical and radiological findings. The quality of the trials was assessed using the Cochrane Risk of Bias Assessment. RESULTS: A total of 5 studies, including 378 patients and dealing with early vs. delayed rehabilitation in case of conservative treatment of PHF, were included in this study. Early rehabilitation was started within 1 week and consisted mainly of pendulum exercise and progressive passive mobilization. Early rehabilitation was associated with better pain and functional scores within the first 3 months in 3 studies. No difference in pain or function was reported at 6 months or longer follow-up, and no differences in complications rate were observed between early vs. delayed rehabilitation groups. CONCLUSIONS: This systematic review suggests that early mobilization within one week in case of conservative treatment of PHF leads to improved function recovery and reduced pain, especially in the first months of rehabilitation, without differences at longer follow-up and without increasing complications rate. Reducing immobilization time could accelerate function recovery and regaining independence in daily life activities.

Biological Response of Chinese Hamster B14-150 Cells to Sequential Combined Exposure to Protons and 12C Ions.

Proton and ion radiation therapy, when used both as single radiation and in mixed radiation mode, have a number of advantages over the conventional γ-therapy that are determined by physical characteristics of accelerated particles. The paper presents the results of an in vitro study of the effectiveness of sequential exposures of Chinese hamster tumor cells B14-150 to proton (p) and 12C ion beams. We used 4 irradiation schemes differing by the sequence of exposure and the contribution of each radiation to the total dose. Synergism was shown for 12C ions dose contribution of 45% (taking into account the coefficient of relative biological efficiency) and the sequence 12C→p.

[Relationship between the pain severity, use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and blood pressure in elective large joint arthroplasty of the lower extremities].

AIM: To evaluate the changes in blood pressure (BP), the severity of pain syndrome and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) use patterns in patients hospitalized for elective arthroplasty of large joints of the lower extremities during the postoperative period. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study included 374 patients. In all patients, medical history, antihypertensive therapy and history of NSAIDs usage were collected, BP was measured, and the severity of pain was assessed via a 10-point scale before surgery, as well as 1 and 3 months after arthroplasty. RESULTS: The study included 132 (35.3%) males and 242 (64.7%) females. Among these, 289 (77.3%) patients had hypertension [grade 1 - 35 patients, grade 2 - 136 patients, grade 3 - 118 (25.0%) patients]; 280 (74.9%) patients were taking NSAIDs (121 - daily, 135 - 2-3 times per week). The median pain severity before surgery was 8 points [7; 9], 1 month after surgery - 2 points [1; 4], 3 months after surgery - 1 point [0; 3]. At 1 month after arthroplasty, 23 (7.9%) patients reported a decrease in BP. In 17 (5.9%) patients, correction of previously prescribed antihypertensive therapy with a decrease in drug doses was required. At 1 month after arthroplasty, 256 patients discontinued NSAIDs. The analysis of the relationship between the severity of pain, NSAIDs use and the level of BP revealed a significant effect of pain syndrome (p<0.0001) and the use of NSAIDs (p=0.014). CONCLUSION: In the population of patients with elective arthroplasty of large joints of the lower extremities, a significant incidence of hypertension and a high prevalence of NSAIDs use are noted. During the postoperative period, a significant trend towards a decrease in the severity of pain was found, as well as the relationship of pain and NSAIDs with a decrease in BP.

[Total resection of aggressive hemangioma of thoracic spine: case report and literature review]. / Total'noe udalenie agressivnoi gemangiomy grudnogo otdela pozvonochnika (klinicheskoe nablyudenie i obzor literatury).

The authors report total resection of aggressive hemangioma of Th7 vertebra in a patient with severe conduction disorders in the lower extremities. Total Th7 spondylectomy (Tomita procedure) was performed. This method provided simultaneous en bloc resection of the vertebra and tumor via the same approach, eliminate spinal cord compression and perform stable circular fusion. Postoperative follow-up period was 6 months. Neurological disorders were evaluated using the Frankel scale, pain syndrome - visual analogue scale, muscle strength - MRC scale. Pain syndrome and motor disorders in the lower extremities regressed in 6 months after surgery. CT confirmed spinal fusion without signs of continued tumor growth. Literature data on surgical treatment of aggressive hemangiomas are reviewed.

[Skip corpectomy in surgical treatment of cervical spondylotic myelopathy]. / Metod «skip corpectomy¼ pri khirurgicheskom lechenii tservikal'noi spondilogennoi mielopatii.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of skip corpectomy in surgical treatment of cervical spondylotic myelopathy. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study included 7 patients with cervical myelopathy following extended cervical spine stenosis. All patients underwent skip corpectomy. Clinical examination included degree of neurological disorders according to the modified scale of the Japanese Orthopedic Association (JOA) with assessment of recovery rate and Nurick score, as well as VAS score of pain syndrome. Verification of diagnosis was based on the data of spondylography, magnetic resonance and computed tomography. The indications for surgical treatment were conduction disorders and their spondylotic genesis confirmed by neuroimaging methods. RESULTS. VAS: Score of pain syndrome decreased by 2-4 points (mean 3.1) in long-term postoperative period. The JOA, Nurick scores and recovery rate (mean 42.5%) demonstrated significant improvement of neurological status in all patients. In all cases, the follow-up examination confirmed adequate decompression and spinal fusion. CONCLUSION: Skip corpectomy provides adequate spinal cord decompression in case of extended cervical spine stenosis and minimizes the risk of complications typical for multilevel corpectomy. Recovery rate indicates the effectiveness of this method in surgical treatment of cervical myelopathy caused by multilevel stenosis. However, further studies on sufficient clinical material are needed.

[En-bloc resection of giant neuroma of thoracic spine via transthoracic extrapleural access: a case report and literature review]. / Blok-rezektsiya gigantskoi nevrinomy grudnogo otdela pozvonochnika s ispol'zovaniem transtorakal'nogo ekstraplevral'nogo dostupa: redkoe klinicheskoe nablyudenie i obzor literatury.

The authors describe surgical treatment of a patient with giant neuroma of thoracic spine. The patient underwent en-bloc resection of tumor via transthoracic extrapleural access. Technical nuances of surgery and operational capabilities of transthoracic extrapleural access for resection of neurogenic tumors of posterior mediastinum are demonstrated. Capabilities of transthoracic extrapleural access are comparable to thoracotomy. The first experience of transthoracic extrapleural access showed its effectiveness in resection of giant neuromas of thoracic spine. Indisputable advantage of this access is less surgical injury compared to thoracotomy. A brief literature review is presented.

Post-Irradiation Recovery of B14-150 Fibrosarcoma Cells after Combined Irradiation with Low and High Linear Energy Transfer.

The use of radiation with low and high linear energy transfer (LET) in the same treatment regimen is promising in terms of increasing the efficiency and reducing the severity of radiation complications. Here we studied combined effect of protons (LET≈3 keV/µm) and heavy recoils (HR) induced by 14.5 MeV neutrons (LET≈290 keV/µm) on B14-150 fibrosarcoma cells. Comparison of the 4 irradiation schemes with different high-LET/low-LET dose ratios and the irradiation sequences revealed higher effectiveness of the combined action in the HR→protons sequence and with increasing HR dose contribution to 40% of the total dose. The observed effects were due to differences in the recovery of damages induced in cells by radiations with low and high LET.

[Surgical treatment of herniated thoracic discs using transthoracic extrapleural approach]. / Khirurgicheskoe lechenie gryzh grudnykh mezhpozvonkovykh diskov s ispol'zovaniem transtorakal'nogo ekstraplevral'nogo dostupa.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the results of herniated thoracic disc resection via transthoracic extrapleural approach. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study included 16 patients with 18 symptomatic herniated thoracic discs wo underwent transthoracic extrapleural surgery. In 11 cases, clinical pattern of disease was represented by myelopathy with radicular or axial pain syndrome. Five patients had radiculopathy alone. Median localization of hernias was observed in 8 (44.4%) cases, paramedian hernias - in 10 (55.6%) cases. There were 10 (55.6%) ossified hernias, 5 (27.7%) giant, 10 (55.5%) large and 3 (16.6%) medium hernias. RESULTS: In most patients, VAS score of pain syndrome decreased by 2-6 points (mean 3.6). In 4 patients, this value remained the same. Among 11 patients with myelopathy, regression of conduction disorders in 1 year after surgery was achieved in 9 (82%) cases including complete recovery in 6 (55%) patients (Frankel E, Nurick - 0-I). In 2 patients, neurological status was equal to preoperative one. In all cases, the follow-up examination confirmed total removal of compressive substrate and found no signs of spine instability. Surgery time varied from 80 to 210 min (mean 161), blood loss - from 300 to 800 ml (mean 378 ml). Two patients had transient neurological deterioration. There was damage to dura mater in 4 cases. Intercostal neuralgia was observed in 3 patients. CONCLUSION: While retaining the advantages of open thoracotomy, transthoracic extrapleural approach is less traumatic, allows complete spinal cord decompression, minimizes the risk of iatrogenic spinal cord injury and avoids certain postoperative complications.

Biodegradable iron-silicon implants produced by additive manufacturing.

Due to many negative and undesirable side effects from the use of permanent implants, the development of temporary implants based on biocompatible and biodegradable materials is a promising area of modern medicine. In the presented study, we have investigated complex-shaped iron-silicon (Fe-Si) scaffolds that can be used as potential biodegradable framework structures for solid implants for bone grafting. Since iron and silicon are biocompatible materials, and their alloy should also have biocompatibility. It has been demonstrated that cells, mesenchymal stromal cells derived from the human umbilical cord (UC-MSC) and 3T3, were attached to, spread, and proliferated on the Fe-Si scaffolds' surface. Most of UC-MSC and 3T3 remained viable, only single dead cells were observed. According to the results of biological testing, the scaffolds have shown that deposition of calcium phosphate particles occurs on day one in the scaffold at the defect site that can be used as a primary marker of osteodifferentiation. These results demonstrate that the 3D-printed porous iron-silicon (Fe-Si) alloy scaffolds are promising structures for bone grafting and regeneration.

Dose Field Shaping and Biological Effectiveness of the Effect of Pulsed Electron Accelerator Novac-11 on Mammalian Cells.

The development of technologies for using the Novac-11 pulsed electron accelerator in radiation therapy of animals with spontaneous neoplasms requires dosimetric and radiobiological studies. The studies were performed on cultured Chinese hamster V-79 fibroblasts after irradiation with 10 MeV electrons in a dose range up to 12 Gy and 60Co γ-radiation. Chemical dosimeters FBX and Fricke were used as additional test-systems. The depth dose curves were measured and the maximum dose depth of the electron beam was determined in tissue-equivalent phantoms. Cell survival and the data of chemical dosimetric systems showed that the effects of electron irradiation did not differ from that of 60Co γ-radiation. It was concluded that the use of Novac-11 in the therapy of animals with spontaneous neoplasms is advisable.

[Successful surgical treatment of patient with cervical myelopathy due to ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament: a rare clinical observation and literature review]. / Uspeshnoe khirurgicheskoe lechenie patsienta s tservikal'noi mielopatiei na fone ossifikatsii zadnei prodol'noi svyazki: redkoe klinicheskoe nablyudenie i obzor literatury.

The authors describe the result of combined surgical treatment of a patient with symptomatic multiple-level cervical spine stenosis following ossification of posterior longitudinal ligament. The first stage included decompressive laminectomy and cervical spine fusion using a screw. At the second stage, CIV-CV-CVI-CVII corporectomy with total resection of the ossified posterior longitudinal ligament and CIII-ThI corporodesis with a bone autograft were carried out. This approach was valuable to minimize the risk of iatrogenic damage to the spinal cord, eliminate long spinal stenosis and perform circular fusion of the cervical spine. These measures led to regression of cervical myelopathy symptoms. A brief review is presented.

Intraosseous injections of platelet rich plasma for knee bone marrow lesions treatment: one year follow-up.

PURPOSE: Cartilage lesions are usually accompanied by subchondral bone alterations or bone marrow lesions (BMLs). BML associated with joint degeneration and cartilage lesions are considered to be predictors of rapidly progressing OA. Currently no existing treatment can fully halt OA progression. One of the approaches is an autologous, biological treatment based on the use of platelet rich plasma (PRP) injections. The purpose of this study is to assess the short-term effectiveness of intraosseous PRP injections, within the BML of individuals affected by OA, in ameliorating pain and improving knee functionality. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study involved 17 patients with an average age of 41.7 ± 14.3 years old. OA stage was determined using the Kellgren-Lawrence grading system by performing radiographic scanning of the knee joint before surgical intervention. Patients with K-L grade 3 knee joint OA prevailed. Patient OA history varied between one and nine years (average 5.2 ± 4.5 years). Clinical and functional state of the knee were assessed by pain visual analogue scale (VAS) score, the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Score (WOMAC), and the Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS) which were filled out by patients previous to the surgical procedure at one, three, six and 12 months post-operatively. Before surgery, in addition to standard blood tests, serum cartilage oligomeric matrix protein (COMP) levels were tested for all patients. RESULTS: Evaluation of preliminary results revealed a statistically significant reduction of pain based on the VAS score. A significant improvement was also observed in the patients' WOMAC score and in the overall KOOS score. Serum marker levels were initially elevated in our experimental patient group compared to the same marker in healthy control respondents, and continued to rise one month and three months following surgery, at six and 12 month the level was similar as at three months. CONCLUSIONS: In our opinion, first COMP increasing can be caused by injection of platelet rich plasma. It is not adequate to interpret this growth in COMP levels as increased osteochondral degeneration. One year follow-up period showed good quality of life improvement, significant pain reduction, and essential MRI changes. The long-term observation of these cohort of patients combined with an analysis of MRI images is still ongoing.

Correlation of synovial caspase-3 concentration and the photodynamic effectiveness in osteoarthritis treatment.

BACKGROUND: The present study focuses on investigation of Intra-articular PDT mechanisms for OA treatment. Also, a search for determination of the most effective dose of chlorin e6 (Ce6) for anti-inflammatory PDT of OA was carried out. METHODS: The study was carried out on laboratory animals (11 Chinchilla rabbits, 1 year, 2.5 kg) with a gonarthritis model of post-traumatic OA. According to the instructions for using Photoditazin (Ce6 based PS) for PDT of human oncological and non-oncological diseases, the recommended dose is 0.7-1.2 mg/kg. For studies on rabbits, taking into account the conversion coefficient (3.2), the PS doses of 2.4, 3.2 and 6.4 mg/kg were selected. Fluorescence spectra were measured intra-articular before and after PDT using spectrometer with fiber-optic probe. The intrajoint PDT was carried out using a laser (662 ± 10 nm) and a fiber-optic catheter with a cylindrical diffuser inside a sapphire needle for a uniform distribution of the laser radiation. The immunohistochemical study was carried out by staining the samples with caspase-3. RESULTS: Histological and immunohistochemical analysis showed that the best PS dose for intravenous administration for PDT of rabbit gonarthritis is 3.2 mg/kg. The PS concentration directly in the synovial tissue was 0.5 mg/kg, and this was enough to achieve the most positive results to reduce the caspase-3 level. CONCLUSION: The caspase-3 level correlates well with other signs of inflammation in the synovial membrane (edema, etc.). Therefore, to assess the PDT effectiveness in the treatment of gonarthritis accompanied by synovitis, it is sufficient to analyze only for caspase-3. The efficacy of PDT with Ce6 showed that 3.2 mg/kg PS dose (1 mg/kg for a human) is the most effective.

Evaluation of Antitumor Efficiency of High Intensity Radiation 169Yb Source on Experimental Sarcoma M-1.

Rats with sarcoma M-1 were exposed to high dose rate irradiation with 169Yb source. In 25 days after introduction of a trocar with sealed capsule with 169Yb source into the tumor, complete tumor regression was observed in 70% animals. The results suggest feasibility of using 169Yb source for high-dose rate brachytherapy and development of the personalized medicine approaches.

[Tactics of surgical treatment of degenerative-dystrophic lesions of the lumbosacral spine in case of HIP-SPINE-syndrome].

The objective of this study is definition of surgical treatment tactics of multilevel degenerative-dystrophic lesions of the lumbosacral spine in case of HIP-SPINE-syndrome. It was presented the experience of surgical treatment of multilevel degenerative-dystrophic lesions of the lumbosacral spine in 52 patients aged from 48 to 81 years. Lumbar stenosis prevailed in 38 (73.1%) cases. There was degenerative spondylolisthesis in 9 (17.3%) cases, and degenerative scoliosis was detected in 5 (9.6%) patients. Different types of decompressive-stabilizing interventions according to direction of compression and the presence of degenerative instability were performed in all patients. Evaluation of surgical treatment was done by using of visual analog scale and questionnaire Oswestry Disability Index. It was revealed significant improvement of life quality by reducing of pain and increasing of daily activity. Maximal time of observation was 36 months.

A comparative study of the biological effectiveness of 14-MeV neutron pulse and continuous radiation using mouse melanoma B-16 cells.

The study was carried out using compact neutron generators with a sealed tube operating in pulsed (neutron generator ING-031) and continuous (NG-14) modes. Neutron radiation was formed due to reaction T(d,n)(4)He. The average flow of 14-MeV neutrons was 6.6×10(9) ns(-1) for ING-031 and 1.2-1.6×10(10) n s(-1) for NG-14. Duration of an impulse was ∼1 ms and pulse frequency of 50 Hz. The gamma rays of (60)Со source with an average energy of 1.25 MeV were standard radiation. Biological efficacy was estimated using the clonogenic activity of mice melanoma B-16 cells. Comparison of biological effects of neutron irradiation in pulse and continuous modes showed no significant difference between them. RBE values of pulse (ING-031) and continuous (NG-14) neutron radiation were equal-in the range of 2.4-2.6. According to the clonogenic activity of melanoma B-16 cells no dose rate effect was observed within the studied range of neutrons doses and dose rates.

[The effectiveness of fractionated exposure of sarcoma M-1 to gamma-radiation and fast neutrons].

The effectiveness of fractionated exposure to gamma- and neutron radiation in their separate and combined use on the growth and functional morphology of mutant p53 sarcoma M-1 in rats was studied. Investigation techniques included immunostaining of PCNA and mutant p53 expressing cells, determination of mitotic activity and apoptotic death of tumor cells, as well as computer analysis of microscopic images. The antitumor efficacy of different types of radiation is shown to be determined by different levels of apoptosis induction, reduced proliferation and cellularity. Neutron radiation of the impulse generator has a marked damaging effect on the vasculature and the development of tumor necrosis. Fractionated irradiation at equal daily doses led to the decrease in the relative effectiveness of radio-inactivation of tumor cells. After 9 fractions of irradiation, the calculated value of the RBE of fast neutrons normalized to the input dose of 1 Gy by the coefficient of tumor growth inhibition, a reduced proliferative activity of PCNA and induced apoptosis of tumor cells was 3.4, 3.7 and 3.1, respectively. In the mode of daily superfractionation with splitting the dose in two fractions, the effectiveness of the combined exposure corresponded to the additive effect of gamma- and neutron radiation with a tendency toward synergism. There are reasons to believe that high resistance of sarcoma M-1 to the ionizing radiation impact is due not only to a fraction of hypoxic cells, but also the mutant status of p53 gene.

[Sensitivity of melanoma B16 side population to low- and high-LET radiation].

Cancer stem cells (CSC) found in multiple tumor types and cancer cell lines were shown to be more resistant to low-LET radiation in comparison to other cancer cells. Therefore, CSC are supposed to determine the long-term effect of cancer therapy. Research into the CSC sensitivity to high-LET radiation is of great interest because of the advances in hadron therapy. The aim of this investigation is to compare CSC and other cancer cell sensitivity to the low- (60Co gamma-rays) and high-LET (neutron) radiation. To identify CSC, we used the low cytometry-based side population (SP) technique based on the CSC capacity to produce the efflux of the vital dye Hoechst 33342. SP and non SP cells were sorted and exposed to gamma and neutron radiation at doses of 1-10 Gy and 0.1-4.7 Gy, correspondingly. We applied the colony-formation test to examine the SP and non SP survival rate after irradiation. It was shown that the sensitivity of SP to gamma-irradiation was lower than that of other cells: D0 average values (+/- SE) made up 2.3 +/- 0.3 Gy and 1.4 +/- 0.2 Gy, correspondingly (p = 0.047). The survival rate of SP and non SP did not differ after neutron irradiation. The values of relative biological effectiveness of neutron radiation relative to gamma-radiation at the D10 level were 2.6 for SP and 2.1 for other cells. The obtained results justify for the first time a high efficiency of application of neutrons in radiotherapy from the point of view of CSC elimination.