Application of Self-Healing Hydrogels in the Treatment of Intervertebral Disc Degeneration.

Intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD) is one of the leading causes of chronic pain and disability, and traditional treatment methods often struggle to restore its complex biomechanical properties. This article explores the innovative application of self-healing hydrogels in the treatment of IDD, offering new hope for disc repair due to their exceptional self-repair capabilities and adaptability. As a key support structure in the human body, intervertebral discs are often damaged by trauma or degenerative changes.

M2 macrophages regulate nucleus pulposus cell extracellular matrix synthesis through the OPN-CD44 axis in intervertebral disc degeneration.

Objective: Macrophages play a crucial role in various physiological processes. In intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD), macrophage infiltration has been observed in human intervertebral disc (IVD) specimens, but how macrophages influence IDD remains unclear.

Methods: According to the single-cell transcriptome expression profiles from GSE165722, we verified the infiltration of macrophages in IDD and the possible interaction between infiltrated macrophages and nucleus pulposus cells (NPCs).

Incidence Rates and Risks for Reoperations for Nonunion and Adjacent Level Disease: Stopping at L1 versus T10/T11/12.

Study Design: A retrospective cohort study.

Objective: To determine if there is a difference in reoperations for adjacent segment disease (operative ASD) and nonunion (operative nonunion) in lumbar fusions that stop at T10/T11/T12 versus L1.

Summary Of Background Data: Current lumbar spine surgery is based on the belief that ASD occurs if fusions are stopped at L1 although there is varying evidence to support this assumption.

Prone Transpsoas Lumbar Interbody Fusion for Degenerative Disc Disease.

Background: Prone transpsoas lumbar interbody fusion (PTP) is a newer technique to treat various spinal disc pathologies. PTP is a variation of lateral lumbar interbody fusion (LLIF) that is performed with the patient prone rather than in the lateral decubitus position. This approach offers similar benefits of lateral spinal surgery, which include less blood loss, shorter hospital stay, and quicker recovery compared with traditional open spine surgery.

Risk factors influencing cage retropulsion following lumbar interbody fusion in treating degenerative lumbar diseases: A comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Degenerative lumbar diseases (DLDs) often have significant impacts on patients' quality of life, particularly when cage retropulsion (CR) occurs following lumbar interbody fusion (LIF). In this study, we conducted a meta-analysis to assess the risk factors associated with CR after LIF.

Methods: We retrieved literatures analyzing the risk factors associated with CR following LIF from seven databases.