Case report: Thoracolumbar spinal stenosis associated with alkaptonuria.

Background: Alkaptonuria is a rare autosomal genetic disorder with an incidence of about 1 in 1 million per year. Spinal involvement often manifests in the later stages of the disease. However, this is the first report of the presentation of thoracolumbar spinal stenosis.

Sequential sagittal alignment changes in the cervical spine after occipitocervical fusion.

Background: There are few studies regarding sequential changes in the sagittal alignment of the upper and lower cervical regions of the spine after occipitocervical fusion (OCF). In addition, no comparisons of cervical sagittal alignment (CSA) between patients with craniocervical junction disorders (CJDs) and normal populations have been reported.

Aim: To compare the CSA of patients with CJDs with that of normal controls and investigate the sequential changes in the CSA of the upper and lower cervical spine after OCF.

[Prevention of postoperative cerebrospinal fluid leakage with absorbable hemostatic fluid gelatin].

Objective: To explore the effectiveness of absorbable hemostatic fluid gelatin in preventing postoperative cerebrospinal fluid leakage.

Methods: The clinical data of 17 patients with dura mater tear were retrospectively analyzed from March to September in 2003. There were 16 males and 1 female, aged from 16 to 67 years old with an average of (39.

[Comparison of screw' inserting angle through the 11th and 12th rib anterior approaches for L1 burst fracture].

Objective: To compare screw's inserting angle through the 11th and 12th rib in treating L1 burst fracture, explore effects on inserting screw and postoperative angle.

Methods: From October 2007 to October 2010, 108 patients with L1 brust fracture treated through anterior approach were analyzed,including 68 males and 40 females, aged from 21 to 64 years (mean 38.22 years).

[Restraining degeneration of punctured intervertebral discs by transplantation of rabbit nucleus pulposus cells and marrow stroma cells].

Objective: To assess the ability of transplanted nucleus pulposus cells (NPC) and marrow stroma cells (MSC) in restraining the degeneration of punctured intervertebral discs in rabbits.

Methods: The passage 3 NPC and MSC were harvested for transplantation. Fifteen New Zealand white rabbits were divided into three groups: saline group (3), MSC group (6) and NPC group (6).