ObjectiveTo evaluate optimal surgical timing of high ligation and ambulatory phlebectomy in treatment of primary great saphenous varicose vein. MethodsThe patients who met the inclusion criteria were divided into simple varicose vein (C2) group and soft tissue complications (C3-C4) group.All the patients were received high ligation and ambulatory phlebectomy.The surgery-related indexes,hospital costs,improvement of quality of life,postoperative recurrence rate were observed. ResultsAll the operations were successful.The operative time,the number of operative incision,and the hospital costs in the C2 group were significantly less than those in the C3-C4 group (P<0.05).The total postoperative complications rate in the C2 group was significantly lower than that in the C3-C4 group (P<0.05).The postoperative AVVQ score on month 3 in the C2 group was significantly lower than that in the C3-C4 group (P<0.05).The postoperative recurrence rate on month 3 had no statistical significance between these two groups (P>0.05). ConclusionsEarly stage (C2) is the optimal surgical timing of primary great saphenous varicose vein,benefits of surgery and health economics in early stage are significantly better than those in mid-advanced stage (C3-C4).It is suggested that surgery should be underwent at early stage in patients with primary great saphenous varicose vein.
ObjectiveTo explore the feasibility of posterior debridement, decompression, bone grafting, and fixation in treatment of thoracic spinal tuberculosis with myelopathy, and investigate the effects of surgical timing on postoperative outcomes.MethodsThe clinical data of 26 patients with thoracic spinal tuberculosis with myelopathy between August 2012 and October 2015 was retrospectively analyzed. All patients underwent posterior unilateral transpedicular debridement, decompression, bone grafting, and fixation and were divided into two groups according to surgical timing. Group A included 11 patients with neurological dysfunction lasting less than 3 months; group B included 15 patients with neurological dysfunction lasting more than 3 months. No significant difference was found between the two groups in gender, age, involved segments, preoperative erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), C-reactive protein (CRP), Cobb angle of involved segment, and preoperative American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) classification (P>0.05). The operation time, intraoperative blood loss, hospitalization stay, perioperative complications, and bone fusion time were recorded and compared between the two groups. The change of pre- and post-operative Cobb angle of involved segments was calculated. Neurological function was assessed according to ASIA classification.ResultsAll patients were followed up 25-60 months (mean, 41.6 months). No cerebrospinal fluid leakage occurred intra- and post-operation. The hospitalization stay and perioperative complications in group A were significantly less than those of group B (P<0.05). There was no significant difference in operation time, intraoperative blood loss, and bone fusion time between the two groups (P>0.05). At last follow-up, there was no significant difference in ESR and CRP between groups A and B (P>0.05), but they were all significantly lower than those before operation (P<0.05). In group A, 1 patient with T6, 7 tuberculosis developed sinus that healed after dressing; the implants were removed at 20 months with bony union and no recurrence was found after 36 months of follow-up. One patient with T4, 5 tuberculosis in group B underwent revision because of recurrence and distal junctional kyphosis of the thoracic spine at 26 months after operation. There was no internal fixation-related complications or tuberculosis recurrence occurred in the remaining patients. At last follow-up, the Cobb angles in the two groups significantly improved compared with those before operation (P<0.05), but there was no significant difference in the Cobb angle and correction degree between the two groups (P>0.05). At last follow-up, the ASIA classification of spinal cord function was grade C in 1 case and grade E in 10 cases in group A, and grade D in 2 cases and grade E in 13 cases in group B; the ASIA classification results in the two groups significantly improved compared with preoperative ones (P<0.05), but no significant difference was found between the two groups (Z=–0.234, P=1.000).ConclusionPosterior unilateral transpedicular debridement, decompression, bone grafting, and fixation is effective in treatment of thoracic spinal tuberculosis with myelopathy. Early surgery can reduce the hospitalization stays and incidence of perioperative complications.