ObjectiveTo compare the long-term effectiveness of wheather posterior ligamentous complex (PLC) preserved between posterior fenestration decompression interbody fusion and posterior total laminectomy interbody fusion. MethodsThe clinical data of 89 patients who suffered from single segmental degenerative diseases of lower lumbar spine and followed up more than 10 years after receiving lumbar spinal fusion between January 2000 and January 2005 were retrospectively analysed. The patients were divided into two groups according to the different surgical methods, the 33 patients in group A were treated with posterior lumbar fenestration decompression, interbody fusion, and internal fixation, while 56 patients in group B were treated with posterior total laminectomy resection decompression, interbody fusion, and internal fixation. There was no significant difference in gender, age, body mass index, type of lesion, disease duration, lesion segment, and preoperative Japanese Orthopedic Association (JOA) score, visual analogue scale (VAS) score, and Cobb angle of lumbar lordosis between the two groups (P>0.05). The effectiveness was evaluated by JOA score, and the improvement of pain was evaluated by VAS score. The incidence of adjacent segment degeneration (ASD) at last follow-up was recorded. ResultsBoth groups were followed up 10-17 years (mean, 12.6 years). There were 3 cases (9.1%) in group A and 5 cases (8.9%) in group B complicated with cerebrospinal fluid leakage, showing no significant difference (χ2=0.001, P=0.979). There was no complication such as infection, nerve root injury, internal plant loosening or transposition in both groups. Intervertebral fusion was satisfactory in both groups. The fusion time in groups A and B was (3.4±1.2) months and (3.7±1.6) months respectively, and there was no significant difference between the two groups (t=0.420, P=0.676). At last follow-up, the JOA score and VAS score of the two groups were significantly improved when compared with preoperative ones (P<0.05); there was no significant difference in Cobb angle of lumbar lordosis before and after operation in group A (t=0.293, P=0.772), but the Cobb angle of lumbar lordosis in group B was significantly lost at last follow-up (t=14.920, P=0.000). At last follow-up, the VAS score and Cobb angle of lumbar lordosis in group A were significantly superior to those in group B (P<0.05); there was no significant difference in JOA score between the two groups (t=0.217, P=0.828). There were 3 cases (9.1%) in group A and 21 cases (37.5%) in group B complicated with ASD, showing significant difference between the two groups (χ2=8.509, P=0.004). ConclusionLong-term effectiveness of both groups was satisfactory, but in terms of maintaining lumbar lordosis and reducing the incidence of ASD, the lumbar fusion retaining PLC is superior to total laminectomy and lumbar fusion removing PLC.
Objective To evaluate the effectiveness of percutaneous vertebroplasty (PVP) in the treatment of osteoporotic vertebral compression fracture (OVCF) through unilateral puncture of extreme extrapedicular approach and bilateral injection of bone cement. Methods The clinical data of 156 patients with OVCF who met the selection criteria between January 2014 and January 2016 were retrospectively analyzed. All patients were treated with PVP through unilateral puncture. According to different puncture methods, the patients were divided into two groups. In group A, 72 cases were performed PVP through the unilateral puncture of extreme extrapedicular approach and bilateral injection of bone cement, while in group B, 84 cases were performed PVP through the unilateral puncture of transpedicular approach. There was no significant difference in general data of gender, age, weight, bone mineral density, lesion segment, and disease duration between the two groups (P>0.05). The radiation exposure time, operation time, volume of bone cement injection, rate of bone cement leakage, pre- and post-operative visual analogue scale (VAS) score and local Cobb angle were recorded and compared between the two groups. Results There was no significant difference in radiation exposure time and operation time between the two groups (P>0.05), but the volume of bone cement injection in group A was significantly more than that in group B (t=20.024, P=0.000). Patients in both groups were followed up 24-32 months (mean, 26.7 months). There were 9 cases (12.5%) and 10 cases (11.9%) of cement leakage in group A and B, respectively. There was no significant difference in the incidence (χ2=0.013, P=0.910). No neurological symptoms and discomfort was found in the two groups. The VAS scores of the two groups were significantly improved after operation (P<0.05). There was no significant difference in local Cobb angle between before and after operation in group A (P>0.05); but the significant difference was found in local Cobb angle between at 2 years after operation and other time points in group B (P<0.05). The VAS score and local Cobb angle in group A were significantly better than those in group B at 2 years after operation (P<0.05). Conclusion It is simple, safe, and feasible to use the unilateral puncture of extreme extrapedicular approach and bilateral injection of bone cement to treat OVCF. Compared with the transpedicular approach, the bone cement can be distributed bilaterally in the vertebral body without prolonging the operation time and radiation exposure time, and has an advantage of decreasing long-term local Cobb angle losing of the fractured vertebrae.
ObjectiveTo investigate the feasibility and effectiveness of modified replanting posterior ligament complex (PLC) applying piezoelectric osteotomy in the treatment of primary benign tumors in thoracic spinal canal.MethodsThe clinical data of 38 patients with primary benign tumors in thoracic spinal canal between March 2014 and March 2016 were retrospectively analyzed. There were 16 males and 22 females, aged from 21 to 72 years (mean, 47.1 years). The disease duration ranged from 6 to 57 months (mean, 32.6 months). Pathological examination showed 24 cases of schwannoma, 6 cases of meningioma, 4 cases of ependymoma, 2 cases of lipoma, and 2 cases of dermoid cyst. The lesions located in 18 cases of single segment, 15 cases of double segments, and 5 cases of three segments. The length of the tumors ranged from 0.7 to 6.5 cm. There were boundaries between the tumors and the spinal cord, cauda equina, and nerve roots. The preoperative Japanese Orthopaedic Association (JOA) score was 12.2±2.3 and the thoracic Cobb angle was (11.7±2.7)°. Modified PLC replantation and microsurgical resection were performed with piezoelectric osteotomy. Continuity of uniside supraspinal and interspinous ligaments were preserved during the operation. The PLC was exposed laterally. After removing the tumors under the microscope, the pedicled PLC was replanted in situ and fixed with bilateral micro-reconstruction titanium plate. X-ray film, CT, and MRI examinations were performed to observe spinal stability, spinal canal plasty, and tumor resection after operation. The effectiveness was evaluated by JOA score.ResultsThe operation time was 56-142 minutes (mean, 77.1 minutes). The intraoperative blood loss was 110-370 mL (mean, 217.2 mL). The tumors were removed completely and the incisions healed well. Three cases complicated with cerebrospinal fluid leakage, and there was no complications such as spinal cord injury and infection. All the 38 patients were followed up 24-28 months (mean, 27.2 months). There was no internal fixation loosening, malposition, or other related complications. At last follow-up, X-ray films showed no sign of kyphosis and instability. CT showed no displacement of vertebral lamina and reduction of secondary spinal canal volume, and vertebral lamina healed well. MRI showed no recurrence of tumors. At last follow-up, the thoracic Cobb angle was (12.3±4.1)°, showing no significant difference when compared with preoperative value (t=0.753, P=0.456). JOA score increased to 23.7±3.8, showing significant difference when compared with preoperative value (t=15.960, P=0.000). Among them, 14 cases were excellent, 18 were good, 6 were fair, and the excellent and good rate was 84.2%.ConclusionModified replanting PLC applying piezoelectric osteotomy and micro-reconstruction with titanium plate for the primary benign tumors in thoracic spinal canal can reconstruct the anatomy of the spinal canal, enable patients to recover daily activities quickly. It is an effective and safe treatment.
Objective To observe the effect of transcranial ultrasound stimulation (TUS) on the recovery of upper limb motor function in stroke patients and explore its mechanism. Methods The inpatients with ischemic stroke and hemiplegia admitted to the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine of the Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University between November 2019 and December 2021were prospectively included. The patients were randomly divided into a true stimulation group and a false stimulation group. All patients received routine medication treatment and rehabilitation training, with a course of 2 weeks. The patients in the true stimulation group also received TUS, and the stimulation site and mode in the false stimulation group were the same as those in the true stimulation group, but the transducer was in a non working mode. The changes in upper limb function and motor cortex electrical activity before and after treatment were compared between two groups of patients. The Wolf Motor Function Test (WMFT), Jebsen Hand Function Test (JHFT), and Fugl-Meyer Assessment-Upper Extremities (FMA-UE) were used as indicators of upper limb motor function. The motor evoked potential (MEP) latency, resting motor threshold (RMT), cortical silent period (CSP), and central motor conduction time (CMCT) were used as indicators of cortical excitability. Results A total of 30 patients were included, with 15 in the true stimulation group and 15 in the false stimulation group. There was no statistically significant difference in age, gender, course of disease, lesion side, handedness, National Institute of Health Stroke Scale score, and Barthel Index between the two groups of patients (P>0.05). Before treatment, there was no statistically significant difference in WMFT score, JHFT time, and FMA-UE score between the two groups of patients (P>0.05). After treatment, the WMFT score and FMA-UE score of both groups of patients increased compared to before treatment within the group, while the JHFT time decreased compared to before treatment within the group (P<0.05). The improvement degree of WMFT score (19.2±8.0 vs. 11.8±5.5), JHFT time [(39.3±20.4) vs. (26.0±15.9) s], and FMA-UE score [14.0 (12.0, 16.0) vs. 8.0 (7.0, 9.0)] before and after treatment in the true stimulation group were better than those in the false stimulation group (P<0.05). Before treatment, there was no statistically significant difference in MEP latency, CSP, CMCT, and RMT between the two groups of patients (P>0.05). After treatment, the MEP latency, CSP, CMCT, and RMT of both groups of patients decreased compared to before treatment within the group (P<0.05). The degree of decrease in CSP [(33.5±12.3) vs. (18.5±5.5) ms], CMCT [3.5 (2.5, 5.8) vs. 1.8 (1.5, 3.4) ms], and RMT [(19.2±12.8)% vs. (8.8±8.7)%] in the true stimulation group before and after treatment were greater than those in the false stimulation group (P<0.05). There was no statistically significant difference in the degree of decrease in MEP latency between the two groups before and after treatment (P>0.05). Both groups of patients had no adverse reactions during the treatment period. Conclusion TUS applied to the primary motor cortex can help restore upper limb motor function in stroke patients, and the mechanism of action may be related to TUS enhancing cortical excitability in the affected brain.