SURGICAL TREATMENT OF CERVICAL OSTEOARTHRITIS

The early results of anterior cervical intervertebral disc excision and fusion (Cloward operation) together with removal of associated arthritic bone spurs pressing on nerves and spinal cord give promise of relief of pain and muscle weakness in patients who have this form of cervical osteoarthritis.Eighty-five per cent of a group of patients with neurologic pain caused by compression of this kind were relieved by this operation. The approach to the cervical vertebrae is made by an incision into the front of the neck and the diseased disc and arthritic spurs are removed by drilling a half-inch hole into the edges of the vertebrae. The remaining fragments of disc are curetted away. The hole is plugged with a bone dowel. The patients had less pain and a more rapid convalescence than with the usual posterior laminectomy for chronic disc disease.     

脊髓型颈椎病手术治疗新进展

颈椎病是指因颈椎间盘退行性变及其继发改变所导致的脊髓、神经、血管等结构受压而表现出的一系列临床症状和体征,根据发病机制可分为神经根型、脊髓型、椎动脉型、交感型、混合型,以及近年来受到重视的脊髓前动脉受压症等,脊髓型颈椎病是其中一种严重类型,保守治疗效果不佳,目前临床上常用的治疗方法为手术治疗。根据患者病情手术的入路可分为前路和后路,本文分别从手术的前后入路出发,对近年来脊髓型颈椎病手术治疗方式的进展作一综述。     

Chemonucleolysis for relief of sciatica due to a herniated intervertebral disc.

Chemonucleolysis is the nonoperative chemical removal of displaced lumbar disc material. The enzyme chymopapain, which has a wide margin of safety between its effective therapeutic and toxic doses, is effective in the management of sciatica due to a herniated intervertebral disc. The patient will have leg pain as the dominant symptom and a 50% reduction in straight-leg raising with or without bowstring discomfort and crossover pain. Neurologic symptoms and signs are usual, as are abnormal results of contrast studies, which will verify the level of involvement. In 220 randomly selected patients who met criteria for the diagnosis of sciatica due to a herniated intervertebral disc and did not have psychogenic or nonorganic spinal pain, a spinal stenosis or a history of a previous, unsuccessful operation to relieve the sciatica, chemonucleolysis had a success rate of 80%. The only complications were a severe anaphylactic reaction in two patients and lesser, delayed reactions in five others. All of the reactions were successfully treated. Of the 45 patients in whom chemonucleolysis was unsuccessful, 38 underwent a laminectomy. In 3 of the 38 the results of chemonucleolysis were initially good, but later the disc herniation recurred; thus, the long-term treatment failure rate was 1.4%.     

The Significance of Removing Ruptured Intervertebral Discs for Interbody Fusion in Treating Thoracic or Lumbar Type B and C Spinal Injuries through a One-Stage Posterior Approach

Objectives

To identify the negative effect on treatment results of reserving damaged intervertebral discs when treating type B and type C spinal fracture-dislocations through a one-stage posterior approach.

Methods

This is a retrospective review of 53 consecutive patients who were treated in our spine surgery center from January 2005 to May 2012 due to severe thoracolumbar spinal fracture-dislocation. The patients in Group A (24 patients) underwent long-segment instrumentation laminectomy with pedicle screw-rod fixators for neural decompression. In Group B (29 patients), the patients underwent long-segment instrumentation laminectomy with pedicle screw-rod fixators for neural decompression evacuating of the ruptured disc and inserting of a bone graft into the evacuated disc space for interbody fusion. The mean time between injury and operation was 4.1 days (range 2–15 days). The clinical, radiologic and complication outcomes were analyzed retrospectively.

Results

Periodic follow-ups were carried out until an affirmative union or treatment failure took place. A progressive kyphosis angle larger than 10°, loss of disc height, pseudoarthrosis, recurrence of dislocation or subluxation, or instrument failure before fusion were considered treatment failures. Treatment failures were detected in 13 cases in Group A (failure rate was 54.2%). In Group B, there were 28 cases in which definitive bone fusion was demonstrated on CT scans, and CT scans of the other cases demonstrated undefined pseudoarthrosis without hardware failure. There were statistically significant differences between the two groups (p<0.001 chi-square test). The neurologic recoveries, assessed by the ASIA scoring system, were not satisfactory for the neural deficit patients in either group, indicating there was no significant difference with regard to neurologic recovery between the two groups (p>0.05 Fisher''s exact test).

Conclusion

Intervertebral disc damage is a common characteristic in type B and C spinal fracture-dislocation injuries. The damaged intervertebral disc should be removed and substituted with a bone graft because reserving the damaged disc in situ increases the risk of treatment failure.     

不同手术方式对腰椎间盘突出症治疗的效果比较分析

目的:探讨应用微创技术治疗腰椎间盘突出症的疗效.方法:对我院脊柱骨科自2005年l1月～2010年10月收治的128例腰椎间盘突出症患者应用不同手术方式进行治疗,其中应用APLD( automated percutaneous lumbar discectomy)治疗单纯腰椎间盘突出症48例;应用MED(microendoscopic discectomy)治疗复杂型腰椎间盘突出症42例;应用传统后路椎板开窗技术治疗单纯腰椎间盘突出症38例;比较各组手术时间、术中出血、术后住院时间、疗效及并发症.术后均随访8个月～3年,观察复发情况.结果:三组不同手术方式手术时间及优良率比较差异无统计学意义(P＞0.05),APLD及MED组术中出血量及术后住院时间与传统手术组比较,差异有显著性(P＜0.05);术后随访疼痛全部缓解,无复发.结论:在严格掌握适应症的基础上,采用微创技术和采用传统手术治疗腰椎间盘突出症疗效相当,但微创技术创伤小、术中出血量少,术后住院日短,恢复快,优于传统手术.     

LAMINECTOMY FOR HERNIATED INTERVERTEBRAL DISC

In a study of 59 patients surgically treated by various surgeons for relief of herniated lumbar intervertebral disc accompanied by symptoms that persistently recurred or had become resistant to conservative therapy, it was noted from review of hospital and office records that laminectomy either greatly relieved or entirely abated symptoms in 83 per cent of the cases.Postoperative complications reported by the surgeons who did the operations consisted of one death and five wound infections. Contrast myelography and electromyography, used in almost all cases in the series, appeared to be valuable adjuncts in the diagnosis of herniated lumbar intervertebral discs. The most common site of the lesion in this series was between the fourth and fifth lumbar vertebrae. Strain upon lifting was the most commonly reported precipitating factor.     

The effect of limited interlaminar decompression versus complete laminectomy on intrathecal volume in degenerative lumbar spinal stenosis.

INTRODUCTION: There is a controversial discussion about the adequate surgical procedure for degenerative lumbar spinal stenosis. Due to the observation that the degenerative lumbar spinal stenosis takes place predominantly at the interlaminar region on the level of the disc involving facets and bulging of the ligamentum flavum, resection of the whole lamina might not be necessary. A biomechanical study was designed to assess the effect of different decompression techniques using cadaver lumbar spine models. METHODS: Twelve cadaver spines with CT verified degenerative lumbar spinal stenosis were dissected in order to measure the volume of the dural sac at different flexion and extension angles. Each segment (L3/4, L4/5) was decompressed first by limited interlaminar decompression and second by complete laminectomy. Intrathecal volume measurements were taken initially, after limited interlaminar decompression and after complete laminectomy. RESULTS: Before surgical procedure, the cadaver spines showed an increase of the intrathecal volume in flexion and decrease in extension. After limited interlaminar decompression, there was a significant reduction of volume loss in extension. There was no significant additional reduction of volume loss in extension after complete laminectomy in comparison to limited interlaminar decompression. CONCLUSION: The results allow to conclude that limited interlaminar decompression is efficient for decompression in degenerative lumbar spinal stenosis.     

Lumbar spinal stenosis.

Lumbar spinal stenosis, the results of congenital and degenerative constriction of the neural canal and foramina leading to lumbosacral nerve root or cauda equina compression, is a common cause of disability in middle-aged and elderly patients. Advanced neuroradiologic imaging techniques have improved our ability to localize the site of nerve root entrapment in patients presenting with neurogenic claudication or painful radiculopathy. Although conservative medical management may be successful initially, surgical decompression by wide laminectomy or an intralaminar approach should be done in patients with serious or progressive pain or neurologic dysfunction. Because the early diagnosis and treatment of lumbar spinal stenosis may prevent intractable pain and the permanent neurologic sequelae of chronic nerve root entrapment, all physicians should be aware of the different neurologic presentations and the treatment options for patients with spinal stenosis.     

Effect of experimental laminectomy on the structure of neurons and conductive pathways of the spinal cord

In 12 dogs the effect of experimental laminectomy on the structure of motor and sensitive neurons, as well as on the structure of the conductive pathways in the spine cord has been investigated. The experimental laminectomy with a subsequent durotomy results in an increase (in 1.5-5 days of the experiment) of both hyperchromatophilic and hyperchromatophobic neurons. This demonstrates their functional reconstruction (inhibitory chromophilia, inhibited activity, fatigue and exhaustion chromatophobia). Restoration of the neuronal structure and that of the spinal cord nervous fibers takes place by the end of 10 days after the experimental laminectomy with residual foci of reversible changes in the conductive pathways system.     

颈椎椎板切除融合术后轴性疼痛

目的：目前已证实颈椎椎板切除融合术是治疗多阶段的脊髓型颈椎病和后纵韧带骨化病的一种安全和有效的方法。然而,颈椎椎板切除融合术后经常发生颈部轴性疼痛。本研究的目的是观察C7棘突保留与否与颈椎椎板切除融合术后轴性疼痛的关系。方法：对2006年1月～2008年12月在我院行颈椎椎板切除融合术的67个病人进行回顾性分析。将这67个病人之中保留了C7棘突的29名病人称为A组,未保留C7棘突的38名病人称为B组,对两组病人的轴性症状、颈椎曲度和颈椎曲度指数（cervical curbature index,CCI）进行评估和比较。结果：在A组中有51.7%的病人发生了早期的轴性症状,10.3%的病人发生了晚期的轴性症状,B组分别为60.5%和42.1%。B组中42.1%的病人和A组中10.3%的病人在手术后晚期有轴性症状,A组的轴性疼痛发生率低于B组,有统计学意义（p=0.001）。结论：保留C7棘突可以降低颈椎椎板切除融合术后轴性症状的发生率。     

Short aggrecan gene repetitive alleles associated with lumbar degenerative disc disease in Turkish patients

We investigated a possible association between aggrecan gene polymorphism and lumbar degenerative disc disease in Turkish patients. One hundred 20-30-year-old patients with or without low back pain were selected for the study. Lumbar magnetic resonance imaging was performed on all patients. The patient group had low back pain clinically and degenerative disc disease radiographically. The control group included patients with and without low back pain: all were negative radiographically for degenerative disc disease. Genomic DNA was extracted from all participants. A PCR assay were used to evaluate variable number of tandem repeat polymorphism of aggrecan gene alleles to determine if there was any correlation with degenerative disc disease. Significant associations were found between short repeated alleles of the aggrecan gene and severe disc degeneration. A significant association was also found between short repeated alleles of the aggrecan gene and multilevel disc herniation as well as extrusion and sequestration types of disc herniation. In Turkish population, short repeated alleles of the aggrecan gene are associated with increased disc degeneration and disc herniation.     

A Trimming Stage for Stereomicroscopes

Scott and Thurston (1975) have described a simple, useful modification of ultratome specimen holders which permits transillumination of plastic embedded specimens for hand trimming.¹ We have refined their original concept by fabricating a Lucite chuck-mounting disc which, in addition to allowing transillumination of embedded specimens, may also be rotated 360 degrees for specimen orientation or locked in place in any desired trimming position. When used in circular stage mounts of stereomicroscopes such as the Nikon SMZ-10, the disc transforms the microscope into a highly effective trimming instrument.     

Treatment Results in the Different Surgery of Intradural Extramedullary Tumor of 122 Cases

Study Design

A retrospective study of intradural extramedullary tumor.

Objective

To compare the treatment results in the different surgeries of spinal intradural extramedullary tumor.

Methods

The study retrospectively reviewed 122 patients. The minimally invasive surgery (MIS) group was divided into Group A (hemilaminectomy + tumor microscopic excision) and Group B (laminectomy + tumor microscopic excision + pedicle screw fixation). Meanwhile, the non-MIS group was divided into Group C (hemilaminectomy + tumor excision), Group D (laminectomy + tumor excision), and Group E (laminectomy + tumor excision + pedicle screw fixation). In order to study postoperative spinal stability, we simultaneously divided all of the subjects into three categories, namely Group HE: hemilaminectomy + tumor excision; Group LE: laminectomy + tumor excision; and Group LEPSF: laminectomy + tumor excision + pedicle screw fixation.

Results

The MIS group exhibited fewer postoperative complications (p<0.05), better short-term clinical efficacy (p<0.05) and less non-surgical cost (p<0.05) than in non-MIS group. The rate of postoperative spinal instability in hemilaminectomy was lower than in laminectomy in a single spinal segment (p<0.05). The rate of postoperative spinal instability in laminectomy + pedicle screw fixation was lower than in hemilaminectomy and laminectomy in two or more spinal segments (p<0.05).

Conclusion

In the case of appropriate surgical indications, minimally invasive surgery for intradural extramedullary tumor is a useful method that can successfully produce good clinical results and reduce non-surgical cost. In addition, pedicle screw fixation helps avoid spinal postoperative instability.     

Vesical Dysfunction Due to Prolapsed Disc

Neural disturbance of micturition may occur as a result of a prolapsed intervertebral disc. Single nerve root lesions are unlikely to cause bladder dysfunction; a massive central protrusion producing total blockage of the vertebral canal or multiple disc lesions are more likely to cause disturbance of voiding. High lesions are more prone to cause severe bladder dysfunction. Vesical dysfunction may sometimes be present without the typical back and leg pain.Provided a gynaecological cause is excluded, any young or middle-aged woman developing incontinence and retention with a sterile urine must be fully investigated to exclude a disc lesion. Once the disc has been removed, bladder function will improve, but in some cases recovery will be slow. Rarely some patients have permanent bladder dysfunction following a disc operation.     

Tenascin in the human intervertebral disc: alterations with aging and disc degeneration

Our objective for this study was to determine the presence and distribution of tenascin in the human intervertebral disc. The tenascins are a family of extracellular matrix proteins with repeated structural domains homologous to epidermal growth factor, fibronectin type III and the fibrinogens. Little is known about the presence of this protein in the disc. Ten normal human discs donated from subjects newborn to 15 years old, 10 control discs from adult donors aged 24-41 years, and 11 surgical disc specimens from patients aged 26-76 years were examined for immunolocalization of tenascin. In young discs, tenascin was localized throughout the annulus; in the nucleus, localization was confined to pericellular matrix. In adult control and degenerating disc specimens, tenascin in the annulus was localized primarily in pericellular matrix regions encircling either single cells or clusters of disc cells; in rare instances localization was more diffuse in the intraterritorial matrix. In young, healthy disc, tenascin was abundant throughout the annulus. In contrast, degenerating discs in adults showed a localization restricted to the pericellular, and rarely, more restricted intraterritorial matrix. These observations indicate that changes in the amount and distribution of tenascin may have a role in disc aging and degeneration, possibly by modulating fibronectin-disc-cell interactions, and causing alterations in the shape of disc cells.     

Extracellular protease production by Drosophila imaginal discs

We are investigating the role of extracellular proteases in imaginal disc eversion to understand the mechanism that controls cell rearrangements within epithelia. We have identified three cation-dependent neutral proteases released by Drosophila leg discs everting in culture. Serine protease inhibitors block disc eversion and inhibit activity of disc proteases. The pattern of extracellular proteases changes when eversion is blocked with added protease inhibitors. Changes in protease activity occur when released disc proteases are treated with trypsin. Trypsin treatment of intact imaginal discs releases protease and inhibitor activities to the medium, indicating their presence on the cell surface before release. Our results suggest that extracellular proteases are required for imaginal disc morphogenesis and are regulated by more than one mechanism.     

Freely flying bees discriminate between stationary and moving objects: performance and possible mechanisms

Summary Freely flying honeybees are innately attracted to moving objects, as revealed by their spontaneous preference for a moving disc over an identical, but stationary disc. We have exploited this spontaneous preference to explore the visual cues by which a bee, which is herself in motion, recognizes a moving object. We find that the moving disc is not detected on the basis that it produces a more rapidly moving image on the retina. The relevant cue might therefore be the motion of the disc relative to the visual surround. We have attempted to test this hypothesis by artificially rotating the structured environment, together with the moving disc, around the bee. Under these conditions, the image of the stationary disc rather than that of the actually moving disc is in motion relative to the surround. We find that rotation of the surround disrupts the bee's capacity not only to distinguish a moving object from a stationary one, but also to discriminate stationary objects at different ranges. Possible interpretations of these results are discussed.     

Neutral proteinases of the human intervertebral disc

Disc tissue consisting of pooled annuli fibrosus and nuclei pulposus from the cadaver of an adolescent aged 19 years was extracted with 4.0 M Gu-HCl. Proteins of low buoyant density (p less than or equal to 1.38 g/ml) containing the disc enzymes and inhibitors were separated from proteoglycans of high buoyant density (p greater than or equal to 1.50 g/ml) by density gradient ultracentrifugation. Sephadex G-75F gel chromatography followed by trypsin affinity chromatography was then used to resolve disc proteolytic and trypsin inhibitory activities. The results obtained were strongly suggestive of the presence of a high molecular weight zymogen which upon activation generated a population of smaller molecular weight proteinases. The disc proteinases obtained by this process showed similar properties in terms of: their pH optima (7.4-7.6); their inhibition patterns by class-specific proteinase inhibitors; their variation of activity as a function of NaCl and lysine concentrations; and the hydrodynamic size of their proteoglycan degradation products. The activated disc neutral proteinase demonstrated many characteristics in common with plasmin; however, unlike the latter, the disc proteinases also showed some calcium dependence.     

Fluid flow and convective transport of solutes within the intervertebral disc

Previous experimental and analytical studies of solute transport in the intervertebral disc have demonstrated that for small molecules diffusive transport alone fulfils the nutritional needs of disc cells. It has been often suggested that fluid flow into and within the disc may enhance the transport of larger molecules. The goal of the study was to predict the influence of load-induced interstitial fluid flow on mass transport in the intervertebral disc.An iterative procedure was used to predict the convective transport of physiologically relevant molecules within the disc. An axisymmetric, poroelastic finite-element structural model of the disc was developed. The diurnal loading was divided into discrete time steps. At each time step, the fluid flow within the disc due to compression or swelling was calculated. A sequentially coupled diffusion/convection model was then employed to calculate solute transport, with a constant concentration of solute being provided at the vascularised endplates and outer annulus. Loading was simulated for a complete diurnal cycle, and the relative convective and diffusive transport was compared for solutes with molecular weights ranging from 400 Da to 40 kDa.Consistent with previous studies, fluid flow did not enhance the transport of low-weight solutes. During swelling, interstitial fluid flow increased the unidirectional penetration of large solutes by approximately 100%. Due to the bi-directional temporal nature of disc loading, however, the net effect of convective transport over a full diurnal cycle was more limited (30% increase). Further study is required to determine the significance of large solutes and the timing of their delivery for disc physiology.     

沉默信息调节因子2同源蛋白1通过Akt/PKB通路抑制人退变椎间盘髓核细胞凋亡

沉默信息调节因子2同源蛋白1(silent mating type information regulation 2 homolog 1, SIRT1/sirtuin 1)是组蛋白去乙酰化酶,参与表观遗传修饰调节,促进多种细胞的生存,但目前对椎间盘髓核细胞的作用未见研究．为了阐明临床不同来源的椎间盘髓核手术标本SIRT1的表达变化,用免疫组化、定量RT-PCR、Western blot方法对中老年腰椎间盘突出症病人及青壮年腰椎骨折病人术中髓核标本进行研究,表明老年人髓核SIRT1的mRNA及蛋白质水平均显著低于青壮年的髓核．同时,用resveratrol(SIRT1激动剂)、烟碱(SIRT1抑制剂)、SIRT1-siRNA对培养的退变髓核细胞进行处理或转染后,用流式细胞仪检测凋亡率变化,结果表明resveratrol能显著促进退变髓核细胞生存,相反,当烟碱或SIRT1-siRNA转染后则显著促进髓核细胞凋亡．为了进一步分析SIRT1抑制退变髓核细胞凋亡的分子机制,应用Western blot及抑制剂方法研究表明,当SIRT1-siRNA转染髓核细胞后能降低磷酸化Akt蛋白的表达,而白藜芦醇处理则促进磷酸化Akt蛋白的表达,当用LY294002(PI3K抑制剂)或Akt-siRNA转染后显著抑制髓核细胞的生存率．研究结果表明,SIRT1通过Akt通路能显著抑制髓核细胞凋亡,为深入揭示退变性椎间盘疾病的病理生理及生物治疗提供新的思路和靶点．