Correlation between severity of spinal stenosis and multifidus atrophy in degenerative lumbar spinal stenosis.

Background: Degenerative lumbar spinal stenosis (DLSS) is a common degenerative condition in older adults. Muscle atrophy (MA) is a leading cause of muscle weakness and disability commonly reported in individuals with spinal stenosis. The purpose of this study was to investigate if the MA correlates with the grade of spinal stenosis in patients with DLSS.

Mangiferin protects osteoblast against oxidative damage by modulation of ERK5/Nrf2 signaling.

Oxidative stress has currently been proposed as a risk factor associated with the development and proression of osteoporosis. In this study, we identify the effect of mangiferin (MAN) on apoptosis and differentiation of osteoblast-like MC3T3-E1 cells insulted by HO. We firstly found that MAN can promote cell proliferation of MC3T3-E1 cells in a time- and dose-dependent manner and stimulate the phosphorylation of ERK5.

Treatment of spinal tuberculosis with ultrashort-course chemotherapy in conjunction with partial excision of pathologic vertebrae.

Background Context: The ultrashort-course chemotherapeutical scheme of less than 6 months has been used for part of patients with pulmonary tuberculosis and satisfactory curative effects have already been achieved. However, few systematic and clinical reports so far about medical treatment of spinal tuberculosis by using ultrashort-course chemotherapeutical schemes have been published in the spine-care literature.

Purpose: To assess the results of ultrashort-course chemotherapy (UCC) in conjunction with partial excision of pathological vertebrae for spinal tuberculosis.

[The research of bone morphogenetic protein expression, CT value and mature degree of ossification in the thoracic ossification of ligamentum flavum].

Objective: To investigate the correlation of pathology, bone morphogentic protein (BMP) expression, CT value with the ossification of thoracic ligamentum flavum (TOLF) to afford the evidence to choose appropriate treatment methods.

Methods: Twenty-three patients aged 35 - 65 years old had TOLF in my hospital as case. Their courses of disease were 2 months to 9 years.

[The clinical causes of the thoracic ossification of ligamentum flavum].

Objective: To assess the different causes of thoracic ossification of the ligamentum flavum (TOLF).

Methods: From July 1989 to November 2005, 142 cases were diagnosed the TOLF, in which 121 were operated. The lesions were classified into three types on the basis of the clinical result: (1) In such primary group (Group 1, 90 cases), without incorporation disease and Ca, P and AKP was all normal; (2) In systemic ossified TOLF group (Group 2, 30 cases), 6 cases ankylosing spondylitis, 3 cases DISH, 10 cases fluorosis, 11 cases OPLL; (3) In local spine disease group (Group 3, 22 cases), 5 cases fracture in spine, 4 cases spine TB, 13 cases posterior marginal intraosseous cartilaginous node.