ObjectiveTo report an improved classification system of Kümmell’s disease and its clinical application.MethodsBased on CT and MRI, an improved classification system of Kümmell’s disease was proposed in terms of the integrity of sagittal endplate, the integrity of posterior wall of vertebral body, and the degree of vertebral compression. Between January 2011 and March 2018, the improved classification system was used to evaluate and guide the treatment of 78 patients with Kümmell’s disease. There were 13 males and 65 females. The mean age was 69.1 years (range, 54-85 years). The mean disease duration was 4.0 months (range, 1-8 months). The mean T value of bone mineral density was −3.66 (range, −3.86- −3.34).The fractures located at thoracic vertebrae in 47 cases and lumbar vertebrae in 31 cases. According to the modified classification system of Kümmell’s disease, there were 11 cases of type A1, 13 cases of type A2, 2 cases of type A3, 10 cases of type B1, 18 cases of type B2, 4 cases of type B3, 4 cases of type C1, 5 cases of type C2, and 11 cases of type C3. According to the classification results, the patients of types A and B were treated with percutaneous kyphoplasty (PKP), while the patients of type C were treated with PKP or intra- vertebral fixation according to the degree of vertebral reduction. Visual analogue scale (VAS) score and Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) were used to evaluate clinical efficacy. The heights of the anterior, middle, and posterior edges of the vertebrae and the Cobb angle were measured to evaluate the reduction of the injured vertebrae and the improvement of kyphosis deformity. The complications were recorded.ResultsThe statistical analysis showed that the improved classification system has good consistency. All patients were followed up 12-36 months (mean, 24.3 months). The heights of anterior, middle, and posterior edges of the vertebrae, Cobb angle, VAS score, and ODI of all types of patients at last follow-up showed significant differences when compared with those before operation (P<0.05). After operation, 4 patients of type A2 had different degree of vertebral height loss; 2 patients of type B2, 3 patients of type C1, and 2 patients of type C2 developed asymptomatic bone cement leakage during PKP; 2 patients of type B3 and 3 patients of type C2 underwent percutaneous internal fixation and vertebral augmentation due to bone cement loosening.ConclusionThe modified classification system of Kümmell’s disease can be used to guide treatment of Kümmell’s disease, but the number of clinical application cases is limited, and further application and observation are needed.
Objective To summarize the application progress of three-dimensional (3D) printed metal prosthesis in joint surgery. Methods The related literature was extensively reviewed. The effectiveness of 3D printed metal prosthesis in treatment of joint surgery diseases were discussed and summarized, including the all key issues in prosthesis transplantation such as prosthesis stability, postoperative complications, bone ingrowth, etc. Results 3D printed metal prosthesis has good matching degree, can accurately reconstruct and restore joint function, reduce operation time, and achieve high patient satisfaction in short- and medium-term follow-up. Its application in joint surgery has made good progress. Conclusion The personalized microporous structure prostheses of different shapes produced by 3D printing can solve the problem of poor personalized matching of joints for special patients existing in traditional prostheses. Therefore, 3D printing technology is full of hope and will bring great potential to the reform of orthopedic practice in the future.
Objective To investigate the relationships between the bony structures, nerve, and indentations of ligamentum flavum of the upper lumbar spine by using CT three-dimensional reconstruction technique, in order to guide the unilateral biportal endoscopy (UBE) technique via contralateral approach in the treatment of upper lumbar disc herniation (ULDH). Methods Twenty-one ULDH patients who were admitted between June 2019 and July 2021 and met the selection criteria were selected as the research subjects. There were 12 males and 9 females with an average age of 62.1 years (range, 55-72 years). The disease duration was 1-12 years (mean, 5.7 years). There was 1 case of L1, 2, 4 cases of L2, 3, and 16 cases of L3, 4. The CT myelography data of T12-S3 segment was saved in DICOM format and imported into Mimics21.0 software for three-dimensional reconstruction. The relationship between the intersection (point Q) of spinous process and the inferior margin of lamina, the indentation of superior margin of ligamentum flavum, the inferior margin of nerve root origin, intervertebral space, and foramen were observed. The Mimics21.0 software was used to create a 3-mm-diameter cylinder to simulate the UBE channel and measure its abduction angle (∠b1), as well as measure the following lumbar vertebra-related indicators: in L1,2-L3,4 segments, the vertical distance from the point Q to the inferior margin of the contralateral lumbar pedicle of the same lumbar vertebra (a1), the superior margin of the contralateral pedicle of the lower lumbar vertebra (a2), the lower endplate of the same lumbar vertebra (a3), the upper endplate of the lower lumbar vertebra (a4); the vertical distance from the lower endplate of lumbar vertebra to the inferior margin of the lumbar pedicle (c1), the vertical distance from the upper endplate of the lower lumbar vertebra to the superior margin of the lumbar pedicle (c2); the vertical distance from the inferior margin of the nerve root origin to the superior margin (d1) and the inferior margin (d2) of the lumbar pedicle, respectively; the vertical distance from the intersection (point P) of the indentation of superior margin of ligamentum flavum and the medial margin of the lumbar pedicle to the superior margin (e1) and the inferior margin (e2) of the lumbar pedicle, respectively; the horizontal distance from the lateral margin of the dural mater (f1) and the narrowest part of the lumbar isthmus (f2) to the facet joint space, respectively. Thirteen of the patients included in the study chose the UBE surgery via contralateral approach. There were 8 males and 5 females with an average age of 63.3 years (range, 55-71 years). The disease duration was 2-12 years, with an average of 6.2 years. There were 3 cases of L2, 3 and 10 cases of L3, 4. The perioperative complications and surgical decompression were recorded. And the effectiveness were evaluated by visual analogue scale (VAS) score, Oswestry disability index (ODI), and short form-36 health survey (SF-36) score. Results The imaging results showed that there was no significant difference in a1, a3, a4, e1, e2, f1, and f2 between segments (P>0.05), and there were significant differences (P<0.05) in a2 and c2 between L1, 2 and L3, 4 segments, in ∠b1 and d2 between L1, 2, L2, 3 segments and L3, 4 segments, and in c1 and d1 between L1, 2 and L2, 3, L3, 4 segments. The 87.30% (110/126) of point Q of L1, 2-L3, 4 segments corresponded to the inferior articular process, and 78.57% (99/126) of the lower endplate corresponded to the level of the isthmus. All 13 patients completed the UBE surgery via contralateral approach, and none were converted to open surgery. All patients were followed up 12-17 months (mean, 14.6) months. The VAS score of low back pain and leg pain, ODI, and SF-36 score at 6 and 12 months after operation significantly improved when compared with those before operation (P<0.05), and further improved at 12 months after operation when compared with 6 months after operation (P<0.05). The imaging review results showed that the herniated disc was removed and the dura mater was decompressed adequately. Conclusion The point Q, the superior margin of ligamentum flavum, and lumbar pedicle can be used as the markers for the treatment of ULBD with UBE surgery via contralateral approach, making the procedure safer, more precise, and more effective.
With the rapid development of all science and technology, new technologies are being used more and more widely in the medical field, bringing convenient diagnosis and treatment methods to medical staff and patients. The application of new technologies in the field of thyroid surgery is also rich, such as intraoperative neuromonitoring, parathyroid positive/negative imaging technique, laparoscopic and robot-assisted surgery technology, molecular and genomic diagnosis technology, artificial intelligence-assisted diagnosis technology, etc. The application of new technologies in the field of thyroid surgery is already a trend. While applying high-tech technologies, we need to have a deep understanding of the limitations of the technology itself. Some limitations must be strictly avoided, especially the early application of new technologies. We must view it dialectically and compare and combine it with traditional technical means to make clinical decisions and provide patients with the best, precise and individualized diagnosis and treatment. At the same time, as clinicians, we must have a deep understanding of the underlying logic of the advancement and development of new technologies themselves, and while deepening our professional fields, we must continuously improve our ability to apply them across disciplines in a comprehensive manner to adapt to and promote technological innovation and improvement.
Pulmonary hypertension (PH), characterized by diverse etiologies and intricate pathological mechanisms, is a complex cardiopulmonary vascular disorder featuring high morbidity and mortality. Percutaneous pulmonary artery denervation (PADN) represents an emerging interventional treatment method, which shows good prospects in the clinical practice of PH. The PADN has attained preliminary achievements in terms of safety and efficacy. Nevertheless, its long-term prognosis, the characteristics of the appropriate patient populations, and the optimization strategies combined with targeted pharmacotherapy remain to be further explored. This article reviews the current clinical applications of PADN as well as the challenges it confronts.
Objective To explore the clinical value of metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) in the diagnosis and treatment of severe and complex infection of malignant hematological disorder. Methods The mNGS test results, traditional etiology test results and general clinical data of inpatients with malignant hematological disorder in the Department of Hematology, the Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University between June 2020 and February 2022 were retrospectively analyzed. To explore the clinical application value of mNGS in the diagnosis and treatment of severe complicated infection of hematological disorder. Results A total of 21 patients were included. The samples included 18 peripheral blood samples, 2 pleural fluid samples and 1 alveolar lavage fluid sample. In the included patients, through mNGS, pathogenic bacteria were directly detected in 17 patients, including 8 fungi, 9 bacteria and 10 viruses, of which 9 were mixed infections. The positive rate (81.0% vs. 33.3%, P=0.002), sensitivity (85.7% vs. 30.0%), granulocytopenia (9 vs. 3 cases, P=0.031) and the types of pathogen (Z=−3.416, P=0.001) detected by mNGS were all higher than those by traditional method. The infection control of 17 patients improved in varying degrees after adjusting the treatment plan according to the test results. ConclusionsmNGS has significantly higher detection rate and sensitivity for bacteria, fungi, viruses and mixed infections. Compared with the traditional method, mNGS has more efficient characteristics. Its clinical application can further improve the diagnosis and treatment efficiency of severe complicated infection of malignant hematological disorder, and thus improve the survival rate of patients.
The postoperative symptom burden in patients with lung cancer is severe and adversely impairs their quality of life. Symptom management is the cornerstone of medical care. Patient-reported outcome (PRO)-based symptom management is being increasingly recognized as the best "patient-centered care" model in clinical practice. However, the precise implementation of this model in patients undergoing lung cancer surgery is hindered by the lack of a lung cancer surgery-specific scale, implementation standards, clinical application parameters and high-quality researches. The use of a precise and simple PRO scale and an electronic PRO platform may greatly improve the feasibility of implementing this model. Currently, the application of PRO-based symptom management in lung cancer surgery is still being explored and needs to be improved in clinical research and practice.
ObjectiveTo summarize the application and research progress of robotic-arm in total knee arthroplasty (TKA).MethodsRelevant literature at home and abroad was extensively reviewed to analyze the advantages and disadvantages of robotic-arm assisted TKA (RATKA).ResultsAccurate reconstruction of lower extremity alignment and rotation alignment, accurate osteotomy and implant prosthesis in TKA are very important to improve the effectiveness and prolong the life of the prosthesis. Traditional TKA deviations occur in key links such as osteotomy due to operator’s operation. RATKA solves the above problems to a certain extent and can assist accurate osteotomy and implant prosthesis, and protect the soft tissues around the knee joint. Patients’ satisfaction after RATKA is high, and the operator’s learning curve is shorter, which improves the efficiency of the operation. But it also has disadvantages such as prolonged operation time, increased complications and medical costs.ConclusionPreliminary clinical application studies have shown that RATKA has satisfactory effectiveness, but its definite advantages compared with traditional TKA need to be confirmed by a large number of randomized controlled trials and long-term follow-up.
Patient-reported outcome (PRO) has been paid increasing attention in lung cancer surgery. It has gradually become an important outcome indicator in clinical research of lung cancer surgery and an important tool for symptom management. Commonly used lung cancer-specific PRO measurement tools include: Lung Cancer Symptom Scale, European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer-Core Quality of Life Questionnaire and Lung Cancer module, Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Lung, MD Anderson Symptom Inventory-Lung Cancer module, Postoperative Symptom Scale for Lung Cancer Patients, and Perioperative Symptom Assessment for Lung Surgery. The application of lung cancer-specific scales lacks authoritative implementation norms in the field of lung cancer surgery in terms of scale selection, data collection, and outcome application. This review aimed to analyze the current status of application of PRO scales in lung cancer surgery.
Objective To review the application progress of non-biological meshes for breast reconstruction (BR). Methods The related home and abroad researches in BR were reviewed and summarized. Results Non-biological meshes can be divided into degradable and nondegradable. The former has many types, whether its degradation rate can match with the grow rate of repair tissue will significantly affect the wound healing and tissue intergradation. TiLOOP, on behalf of the latter, has a good postoperative performance due to its nano TiO2 layer, lightness and flexibility. Non-biological meshes have been gradually used to cover and fix implant in BR. Compared with biological meshes, non-biological meshes are cheaper and have a more positive postoperative performance generally, but definite comparison can’t be concluded due to the limited data. Conclusion As non-biological meshes are applied to BR preliminarily, their effectiveness are still needed to be observed further.