Clinical Effects of Ultrasound-Guided Acupotomy in Knee Osteoarthritis Treatment.

The protocol presented here demonstrates the operation method of ultrasound-guided acupotomy for knee osteoarthritis (KOA), including patient recruitment, preoperative preparation, manual operation, and postoperative care. The purpose of this protocol is to relieve pain and improve knee function in patients with KOA. A total of 60 patients with KOA admitted between June 2022 and June 2023 were treated with ultrasound-guided acupotomy.

Comparison of Oblique Lateral Interbody Fusion (OLIF) and Minimally Invasive Transforaminal Lumbar Interbody Fusion (MI-TLIF) for Treatment of Lumbar Degeneration Disease: A Prospective Cohort Study.

Study Design: Prospective cohort study.

Objective: To assess the differences in the clinical and radiological outcomes between oblique lateral interbody fusion (OLIF) and minimally invasive transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (MI-TLIF).

Summary Of Background Data: Nowadays, there is still a controversy regarding whether OLIF is superior to MI-TLIF in the management of degenerative lumbar disease.

Anteroinferior Psoas Technique for Oblique Lateral Lumbar Interbody Fusion.

Oblique lateral lumbar interbody fusion (OLIF) has been extensively used, with satisfactory outcomes for the treatment of degenerative lumbar disease. This article aims to demonstrate a modified lateral approach, also known as the anteroinferior psoas (AIP) technique for OLIF, which is expected to enhance security by operating under direct vision. The core procedures of our technique are as follows.

Anteroinferior Psoas Technique for Oblique Lateral Lumbar Interbody Fusion: Technical Note and Case Series.

Objective: The aim of the present paper was to evaluate cases of lumbar degenerative diseases treated with oblique lateral interbody fusion (OLIF) using a modified lateral approach (i.e. anteroinferior psoas exposure under direct vision) and to analyze the effect and safety of this approach.

Symptomatic Postoperative Discal Pseudocyst After Percutaneous Endoscopic Interlaminar Discectomy: Case Report and Literature Review.

Background: A postoperative discal pseudocyst (PDP) is a cystic lesion that is formed in the operation area of the intervertebral disc, leading to recurrence or even worse symptoms. To our knowledge, to date, there is no research focusing specifically on PDP following percutaneous endoscopic interlaminar discectomy (PEID).

Case Presentation: We present the case of a 27-year-old man with L S intervertebral disc herniation who was treated with PEID after failed conservative treatment.

Shi-Style Cervical Mobilizations Versus Massage for Cervical Vertigo: A Multicenter, Randomized, Controlled Clinical Trial.

Large sample and high-quality evidence to evaluate the preliminary safety of the mobilizations and massage for cervical vertigo are not yet available. Thus, the present study aimed to investigate the comparative effectiveness and preliminary safety of Shi-style cervical mobilizations (SCM) compared with traditional massage (TM) in cervical vertigo patients. A prospective, multicenter, open-label, randomized, controlled clinical trial with a 1:1 allocation ratio.

Honokiol alleviates the degeneration of intervertebral disc via suppressing the activation of TXNIP-NLRP3 inflammasome signal pathway.

Intervertebral disc degeneration (IVDD) is a multifactorial disease and responsible for many spine related disorders, causes disability in the workforce and heavy social costs all over the world. Honokiol, a low molecular weight natural product, could penetrate into and distribute in IVDs to achieve therapeutic effect in a rat tail model. Therefore, the present study was undertaken to examine the antiinflammatory, antioxidation and IVD-protective effect of honokiol using nucleus pulposus cells and investigate its mechanisms to provide a new basis for future clinical treatment of IVDD.

Ascorbic Acid Attenuates Multifidus Muscles Injury and Atrophy After Posterior Lumbar Spine Surgery by Suppressing Inflammation and Oxidative Stress in a Rat Model.

Study Design: A rat model of multifidus muscles injury and atrophy after posterior lumbar spine surgery.

Objective: We determined the effect of ascorbic acid (AA) on the postoperative multifidus muscles in rat model.

Summary Of Background Data: Previous studies show oxidative stress and inflammation are two main molecular mechanisms in multifidus muscle injury and atrophy after posterior lumbar surgery.

Shi-style cervical manipulations for cervical radiculopathy: A multicenter randomized-controlled clinical trial.

Background: There is a lack of high-quality evidence supporting the use of manipulation therapy for patients with cervical radiculopathy (CR). This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of Shi-style cervical manipulations (SCMs) versus mechanical cervical traction (MCT) for CR.

Methods: This was a randomized, open-label, controlled trial carried out at 5 hospitals in patients with CR for at least 2 weeks and neck pain.

Multifidus Muscle Atrophy Not Observed Following Two-segment Anterior Interbody Fusion: A Rabbit Model Study With a 12-Month Follow-up.

Study Design: Experimental study evaluated magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and histologic changes in the multifidus muscle after anterior spinal fusion.

Objective: To determine the effect of spinal fusion on the multifidus muscle in an anterior rabbit model through the use of MRI and histologic evaluation.

Summary Of Background Data: Retraction and splitting approach are known to be important factors in postoperative injury and atrophy of the multifidus muscle.

The NLRP3/Caspase-1/Interleukin-1β Axis Is Active in Human Lumbar Cartilaginous Endplate Degeneration.

Background: Modic changes are the MRI signal changes of degenerative lumbar vertebral endplate and which lead to or accelerate intervertebral disc degeneration. NLRP3, caspase-1, and interleukin-1β (IL-1β) play a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of many inflammatory diseases, such as osteoarthritis. However, the roles of IL-1β and its activators caspase-1 and NLRP3 are unclear in the degenerative endplate.

PHD/HIF-1 upregulates CA12 to protect against degenerative disc disease: a human sample, in vitro and ex vivo study.

Intervertebral disc degeneration is a major cause of low back pain. The nucleus pulposus (NP) is an important intervertebral disc component. Recent studies have shown that carbonic anhydrase 12 (CA12) is a novel NP marker.

Effect of pure muscle retraction on multifidus injury and atrophy after posterior lumbar spine surgery with 24 weeks observation in a rabbit model.

Purpose: To evaluate the effect of pure muscle retraction on multifidus injury and atrophy.

Materials And Methods: Sixty-three adult New Zealand white rabbits were divided evenly into three groups: 1-h retraction (group R1), 2-h retraction (R2), and sham surgery (C). The multifidus muscle was evaluated using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and histology after 3 and 48 h, and 1, 3, 6, 12, and 24 weeks after surgery.

Lycorine suppresses RANKL-induced osteoclastogenesis in vitro and prevents ovariectomy-induced osteoporosis and titanium particle-induced osteolysis in vivo.

Osteoclasts play an important role in diseases involving bone loss. In this study, we assessed the effect of a plant-derived natural alkaloid (lycorine, or LY) on osteoclastogenesis in vitro and in vivo. Our in vitro study showed that receptor activator of nuclear factor-κB ligand (RANKL)-induced osteoclastogenesis could be inhibited by LY; this effect was due to inhibition of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signalling via MAP kinase kinases (MKKs).

Evaluation of 12 Novel Molecular Markers for Degenerated Nucleus Pulposus in a Chinese Population.

Study Design: A transcriptional expression assessment of human samples.

Objective: To evaluate 12 new candidate nucleus pulposus (NP) markers in degenerative disc disease in a Chinese population.

Summary Of Background Data: Disc degeneration is a major contributor of low back pain.

Metal complex modified azo polymers for multilevel organic memories.

Multilevel organic memories have attracted considerable interest due to their high capacity of data storage. Despite advances, the search for multilevel memory materials still remains a formidable challenge. Herein, we present a rational design and synthesis of a class of polymers containing an azobenzene-pyridine group (PAzo-py) and its derivatives, for multilevel organic memory storage.

[Influencing of chronic low back pain on multifidus muscle atrophy].

Objective: To identify the affect of chronic low back pain on multifidus muscle atrophy and fatty infiltration.

Methods: From March 2010 to August 2013, a retrospective study were carried out in the department of orthopedics of patients with low back pain. Finally 31 cases were selected to this study including 19 males and 12 females with an average age of 36.

Upregulation of tumor necrosis factor α and ADAMTS-5, but not ADAMTS-4, in human intervertebral cartilage endplate with modic changes.

Study Design: This study investigated the expression of 2 types of ADAMTS in human intervertebral cartilage endplate (CEP) and related mechanisms concerning tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α)-induced nuclear factor κB signaling pathway.

Objective: To determine which type of ADAMTS is more strongly expressed and the role of TNF-α in CEP.

Summary Of Background Data: ADAMTS-4 and ADAMTS-5 were proven to be essential in the degeneration of articular cartilage and intervertebral disc.

Accuracy of magnetic resonance imaging signal intensity ratio measurements in the evaluation of multifidus muscle injury and atrophy relative to that of histological examinations.

Study Design: A matched-pairs animal study.

Objective: To confirm the accuracy of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) as a means of evaluating edema and fat degeneration of the multifidus muscle by comparing measurements made using MRI with those made using histological examination.

Summary Of Background Data: MRI is considered a reliable means of evaluating multifidus muscle edema and fat degeneration.

[Case-control study on effects of two approaches on multifidus muscle injuries during lumbar interbody fusion of lumbar vertebrae].

Objective: To study differences of multifidus muscle injury between Wiltse intermuscular approach and intramuscular stripping approach in one-level small incision transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (TLIF) surgery.

Methods: A total of 46 patients with unilateral lumbar degenerative disease underwent small incision TLIF from August 2009 to February 2011 by one group of surgeons at a single institution. The decompression side of all patients adopted intra-muscular stripping approach; for the non-decompression side, 22 patients adopted Wiltse intermuscular approach (group A),and 24 patients adopted intra-muscular striping approach (group B).

Effect and possible mechanism of muscle-splitting approach on multifidus muscle injury and atrophy after posterior lumbar spine surgery.

Background: Multifidus muscle injury and atrophy are common after posterior lumbar spine surgery and are associated with low back pain and functional disability. In theory, muscle-splitting and retraction with a self-retaining retractor are considered to be the major surgical factors. The effects and mechanisms of retraction have been well studied, but the exact effect and possible mechanism of injury and atrophy after muscle-splitting still lack experimental evidence.

Iatrogenic injury to the erector spinae during posterior lumbar spine surgery: underlying anatomical considerations, preventable root causes, and surgical tips and tricks.

The approach-related morbidity resulting from iatrogenic erector spinae injury in posterior lumbar surgery has become an increasing concern for spine surgeons. Many studies have explained the injury mechanisms and reported new surgical approaches to prevent this iatrogenic injury from their own point of views, but there is still no systemic information for a thorough understanding of this iatrogenic erector spinae injury that may give spine surgeons practical advices in their individual operations. We consequently reviewed the literature on the anatomy of erector spinae, causes of injury, and relative minimally invasive approaches.