Objective To evaluate the effectiveness of percutaneous transforaminal endoscopic discectomy (PTED) combined with Coflex interspinous process dynamic reconstruction system for the treatment of youth lumbar disc herniation (LDH). Methods The clinical data of 52 patients with LDH treated by PTED combined with Coflex were retrospectively analyzed between February 2013 and March 2015. The involved segments were L4, 5 in 30 cases and L5, S1 in 22 cases. In 30 patients at L4, 5 level, there were 18 males and 12 females with an average age of 25 years (range, 18-34 years) and a mean disease duration of 10 months (range, 6-16 months). In 22 patients at L5, S1 level, there were 10 males and 12 females with an average age of 25.5 years (range, 19-32 years) and a mean disease duration of 12 months (range, 6-18 months). The operation time and intraoperative blood loss were recorded. Oswestry disability index (ODI) and Japanese Orthpoaedic Association (JOA) score were used for effectiveness assessment. Radiograpic indexes were calculated on X-ray films before operation and final follow-up, including ventral intervertebral space height (VH), dorsal intervertebral space height (DH), intervertebral foramen height (IFH), the range of motion (ROM) of involved segment, and the ROM of upper adjacent segment. Results The operations were successfully completed in 52 patients. The operation time and intraoperative blood loss were (89.7±16.5) minutes and (42.7±11.3) mL in patients at L4, 5 level, and were (94.6±18.2) minutes and (47.6±13.4) mL in patients at L5, S1 level. Incisions healed by first intention. All patients were followed up 12-18 months (mean,16 months) in patients at L4, 5 level and 12-20 months (mean, 17 months) in patients at L5, S1 level. At final follow-up, ODI, and JOA score were significantly improved when compared with preoperative ones in all patients (P<0.05). X-ray films showed no complication of Coflex loosening, spinous process fracture, or articular process fracture occurred. At final follow-up, VH, DH, and IFH were significantly improved when compared with preoperative ones in all patients (P<0.05), and the ROM of involved segment was significantly reduced compared with preoperative one (P<0.05), but the ROM of upper adjacent segment showed no significant difference when compared with preoperative one (P>0.05). Conclusion PTED combined with Coflex is a safe and effective minimally invasive surgery in treating youth LDH; however, it still needs further clinical studies.
Objective To compare the effectiveness of arthroscopic osteochondral autologous transplantation (OAT) in the treatment of young and middle-aged patients with the articular cartilage injury. MethodsA clinical data of 43 patients (43 knees) with articular cartilage injury, who underwent OAT between January 2008 and August 2016, was retrospectively analyzed. There were 23 patients aged 20-40 years (young group) and 20 patients aged 40-60 years (middle-aged group). The difference in age between the two groups was significant (t=14.120, P=0.001). There was no significant difference in gender, body mass index, complications, affected side, lesion site, lesion area, and the International Cartilage Repair Society (ICRS) grade of cartilage injury between the two groups (P>0.05). The function of knee joint was evaluated by Lysholm score and International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) score during the follow-up. MRI examination was performed to observe the repair of both receiving and the donor sites. ResultsAll the incisions in the two groups were healed by first intention. All patients in the two groups were followed up with an average of 3.6 years (range, 2-8 years). At 2 years after operation, the Lysholm and IKDC scores were significantly improved in the two groups when compared with the preoperative scores (P<0.05). The Lysholm and IKDC scores in the young group were significantly better than those in the middle-aged group before operation and at 2 years after operation (P<0.05). However, there was no significant difference in the differences of the Lysholm and IKDC scores between pre- and post-operation between the two groups (P>0.05). The MRI examination at 2 years after operation showed that both receiving and the donor sites healed well in the two groups. ConclusionAccording to the texture, thickness, elasticity, and lesion area of the cartilage, arthroscopic OAT might be the first choice for the articular cartilage injury in middle-aged patients and can obtain the satisfactory short-term effectiveness.
Gordon syndrome is a rare monogenic hypertensive disease with low incidence and high clinical heterogeneity. As so far, genetic diagnosis of Gordon syndrome is rarely reported. We reported a case of Gordon syndrome caused by a novel WNK1 mutation [c.3029G>A (p.Gl1010Glu)]. The patient, a 21-year-old female, was found to have elevated blood pressure during physical examination. After treatment with thiazide diuretics, the patient was diagnosed as Gordon syndrome. This case expanded the mutant spectrum of Gordon syndrome and provided evidence for its different clinical manifestations, aiming to study and discuss with clinicians to improve the understanding of monogenic hypertension.