Preoperative dorsal disc height is a predictor of indirect decompression effect through oblique lateral interbody fusion in lumbar degenerative stenosis.

The extent of indirect decompression after oblique lateral interbody fusion (OLIF) is one of the most important factors in deciding the strategy. To assess the radiographical predictors of the effect of indirect decompression in patients with lumbar degenerative spondylosis by OLIF. Thirty-two consecutive patients who underwent OLIF at 58 lumbar disc levels were enrolled in this study.

Microdiscectomy and Foraminotomy in Cervical Spondylotic Myelopathy and Radiculopathy.

This study was to assess the efficacy of microdiscectomy, cage fixation, and right tranuncal foramintomy for the patients suffering from right radiulo-myelopathy. Anterior cervical foraminotomy was reported to be an effective option for the treatment of cervical degenerative radiculopathy but with the problem of recurrence. Since Hakuba reported the method of trans-unco-discal approach in 1976, it was designed as keyhole foraminotomy which was called transuncal approach, transpedicular approach or transvertebral approach.

Idiopathic and Chronic Epidural Hematoma in the Lumbar Spine: A Case Report and Review of Literatures.

Spontaneous and chronic epidural hematoma (SSEH) in the lumbar spine is rare, and idiopathic and chronic SSEH in the lumbar spine is extremely rare disease. Most of lumbar SSEH were acute and secondary with trauma, hematologic disorders, drug, and surgical procedure. Only 20 cases of chronic SSEH in the lumbar spine have been reported and 14 cases among them were considered to be idiopathic.

Coloring Technique of Magnetic Resonance Angiography for Superficial Temporal Artery to Middle Cerebral Artery Bypass Surgery.

Objective: Superficial temporal artery (STA)-to-middle cerebral artery (MCA) bypass is an established surgical technique for achieving revascularization. It is important to select the proper recipient artery of the MCA. Three-dimensional computed tomographic angiography (3D-CTA) and conventional angiography are useful in the selection process but need contrast agents.

Bone scintigraphy for the diagnosis of the responsible level of osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures in percutaneous balloon kyphoplasty.

Objectives: This study was to investigate the efficacy of bone scintigraphy in order to diagnose the correct level of vertebral compression fractures (VCF) for the severe back pain before balloon kyphoplasty (BKP) was performed.

Patients And Methods: A total of 30 consecutive patients were treated with BKP for 38 times since May 2012. Eleven patients had acute multi-level VCFs.

Computational fluid dynamics of carotid arteries after carotid endarterectomy or carotid artery stenting based on postoperative patient-specific computed tomography angiography and ultrasound flow data.

Background: There are significant differences in the postoperative morphological and hemodynamic conditions of the carotid arteries between carotid artery stenting (CAS) and endarterectomy (CEA).

Objective: To compare the postoperative rheological conditions after CAS with those after CEA with patch angioplasty (patch CEA) through the use of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) based on patient-specific data.

Methods: The rheological conditions in the carotid arteries were simulated in 2 patients after CAS and in 2 patients after patch CEA by CFD calculations.

Significant differences in the postoperative morphological and hemodynamic conditions of carotid arteries of patients undergoing stenting or endarterectomy with patch angioplasty.

Objective: Carotid endarterectomy with a patch graft (Patch CEA) has been our standard treatment for patients with carotid artery stenosis, but carotid artery stenting (CAS) has emerged as an alternative. The purpose of this study was to compare the postoperative changes in the configurations and the flow velocities of carotid arteries after CAS or Patch CEA.

Methods: Thirty-one patients undergoing CAS or Patch CEA were included.

Control of dopamine-secretion by Tet-Off system in an in vivo model of parkinsonian rat.

We established a PC12 cell line (PC12TH Tet-Off) in which human tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) expression can be negatively controlled by Doxycycline (Dox). First, dopamine (DA)-secretion from PC12TH Tet-Off cells was controlled by Dox-administration in a dose-responsive manner ranging from 0 to 100 ng/ml for 70 days in vitro. Furthermore, Parkinson's disease model of rats receiving encapsulated PC12TH Tet-Off cells displayed a significant decrease of dopamine concentration in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and increase of the number of apomorphine-induced rotations by Dox-administration, as compared to transplanted rats without Dox-administration, although the significant decrease of the reduction ratio of DA concentration in the CSF with Dox-administration was recognized over time.

Neurorescue effects of VEGF on a rat model of Parkinson's disease.

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) has been shown to display neuroprotective effects on dopaminergic (DA) neurons. Here, we investigated the neurorescue effects of VEGF on 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA)-treated DA neurons in vitro and in vivo. Initially, we examined in vitro whether 1, 10, or 100 ng/ml of VEGF administration at 2 or 4 h after 6-OHDA treatment rescued DA neurons derived from E14 murine ventral mesencephalon.