Purpose: Patients undergoing major orthopedic surgeries, such as total hip replacement (THR), total knee replacement (TKR), and trauma surgery, are at an elevated risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE), causing significant morbidity and mortality. Previous studies have investigated aspirin as a thromboprophylactic agent for arthroplasty, besides trauma surgery. Therefore, we sought to analyze the efficacy of aspirin compared to that of other anticoagulants for VTE prophylaxis in patients undergoing major orthopedic surgeries. Methods: This study was conducted according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. The study protocol was registered with the PROSPERO register. Randomized controlled trials that investigated the use of aspirin for thromboprophylaxis in major orthopedic lower limb surgeries were included and analyzed. Quality analysis of the literature and level of evidence were assessed. The primary clinical outcome was VTE. Secondary clinical outcomes included mortality, bleeding events, and wound complications. Results: Eight high-quality studies with level 2 evidence (published within 2006–2021) were included, comprising 6220 patients. The incidence of VTE with aspirin was not found to be more significant than other anticoagulants (risk ratio (RR) = 1.18, 95% CI: 0.89–1.58, P = 0.25). Regarding secondary outcomes, there were no significant differences between aspirin and other anticoagulants (mortality (RR = 1.40, 95% CI: 0.27–7.23, P = 0.69), bleeding events (RR = 0.89, 95% CI: 0.57–1.39, P = 0.61), or wound complications (RR = 0.64, 95% CI: 0.30–1.35, P = 0.24)). Conclusion: The current meta-analysis did not show any difference between aspirin and other anticoagulants as thromboprophylactic agents in preventing VTE in patients who underwent major orthopedic surgeries.

Background: Chronic renal failure is an important clinical problem with significant socioeconomic impact worldwide. Thoracic spinal cord entrapment induced by a metabolic yield deposit in patients with renal failure results in intrusion of nervous tissue and consequently loss of motor and sensory function. Human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells are immune naïve and they are able to differentiate into other phenotypes, including the neural lineage. Over the past decade, advances in the field of regenerative medicine allowed development of cell therapies suitable for kidney repair. Mesenchymal stem cell studies in animal models of chronic renal failure have uncovered a unique potential of these cells for improving function and regenerating the damaged kidney. Case presentation: We report a case of a 62-year-old ethnic Indonesian woman previously diagnosed as having thoracic spinal cord entrapment with paraplegic condition and chronic renal failure on hemodialysis. She had diabetes mellitus that affected her kidneys and had chronic renal failure for 2 years, with creatinine level of 11 mg/dl, and no urinating since then. She was treated with human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cell implantation protocol. This protocol consists of implantation of 16 million human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells intrathecally and 16 million human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells intravenously. Three weeks after first intrathecal and intravenous implantation she could move her toes and her kidney improved. Her creatinine level decreased to 9 mg/dl. Now after 8 months she can raise her legs and her creatinine level is 2 mg/dl with normal urinating. Conclusions: Human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cell implantations led to significant improvement for spinal cord entrapment and kidney failure. The major histocompatibility in allogeneic implantation is an important issue to be addressed in the future.

Low back pain is one of the leading causes of disability in the world. Regenerative medicine can be one of the novel treatment breakthroughs in patients with low back pain, yet its use is still debatable. We performed a systematic evaluation and meta-analysis to determine the efficacy of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) treatment for patients with chronic low back pain. Comprehensive database searches were performed in four databases. This study was conducted and reported based on the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses Guideline and registered to PROSPERO. We included and examined randomized controlled trials that looked into research employing PRP for patients with chronic low back pain. Outcomes of interest include clinical enhancement of pain, which is demonstrated in pain scores. Three studies were included comprising 138 patients with chronic low back pain. After 1, 3, and 6 months after injection, there was a substantial reduction in the pain score difference between the PRP and control groups, demonstrating PRP’s superiority over the control group in the treatment of chronic low back pain. PRP injection significantly enhances chronic low back pain in the first, third, and sixth months after injection compared to controls.

Mycobacterium tuberculosis is an obligate aerobe bacteria requiring oxygen in its metabolism. In normal condition, bones have pH of 6.9–7.4 and temperature of 37°C. With the composition mentioned, bones fall in the group of tissue with less rich oxygen (<35%) which theoretically means, M. tuberculosis is hard to grow in the bone environment. Bone microliving environment is formed by the cells constructing the bone itself and the active cells which periodically interact with the bone cells. Activation of these cells gives impact to the temperature, pH, gas concentration, and liquid concentration, and at the same time triggers calcium, phosphor, and other minerals to be deposited in the bone. In the process of new bone formation, the osteoblast cells produce matrix and release them to the microenvironment that needs a high concentration of calcium and phosphor. The survival of M. tuberculosis in the microenvironment of bone is reflected in interaction of the bacteria and the non-immune cells, the bacteria and the organic environment, and the bacteria and the inorganic environment. In addition, the immune system also threatens the survival of M. tuberculosis. The results of these interactions will affect the lives of bacteria and has an impact on the bone microenvironment.

Study Design: Systematic review, expert opinion and Delphi technique, and validity and reliability studies. Objective: We developed Jakarta Instability Score (JIS) to identify spinal instability and the need of fusion in degenerative lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS). Methods: This study consisted of systematic review to find predictors of spinal instability, expert opinion and modified Delphi technique to develop JIS, and validity and reliability studies of the newly developed JIS. Results: A total of 54 studies were included in the systematic reviews to obtain predictors of spinal instability. Through expert opinion and modified Delphi technique, JIS was developed and consisted of the clinical component (back pain), dynamic radiograph component (dynamic translation and angulation), and MRI component (facet joint effusion), each of the component would be scored, and the total scoring would be from 0 to 14. The final scoring would classify patients into three groups: stable group (score of 0 to 4) in which the fusion is not needed, potentially unstable group (score of 5 to 8) in which the decision of fusion is based on surgeon’s clinical judgment, and unstable group (score of 9 to 14) in which the fusion is needed. Final step of study concluded that this JIS had a high validity and reliability. Conclusion: The newly developed JIS was a valid and reliable scoring system that could help to identify the presence of instability in LSS and can be used as a guideline to decide whether spinal fusion will be needed.

Introduction: Neurological deficits complicating the correction of spinal deformity usually occur acutely during surgery or immediately after surgery. Absorbable gelatin sponges have been used to control bleeding and prevent undesired event during and after spinal surgery since more than 50 years ago. However, its potency of osmotic expansion within an enclosed space containing neural tissue can cause compression of the spinal cord. We presented a rare, early-onset postoperative neurological deficit caused by the use of absorbable gelatin sponge. Method: A 27 years old female patient with kyphosis of thoracolumbal vertebrae at the level of Th 10 – L2 presented with neurologic deficit gradually started 24 h after the posterior vertebrae column resection (PVCR), laminectomies, and Smith Peterson (SPO) osteotomy procedure of severe fixed kyphosis correction of deformity in thoracolumbar area. Result: Immediate surgical exploration within 24 h was performed with the duration of surgery of 1 h. Hematoma and retained sponge were found within the site of laminectomy, compressing the spinal cord. After removal of gelatin sponge and its associated hematoma, the neurological function returned to normal at 48 h postoperatively. Conclusion: The use of absorbable gelatin sponge for controlling bleeding and preventing adhesions in spinal surgery has the potency of spinal cord compression due to expansion within the enclosed space, therefore a large piece of absorbable gelatin sponge should be removed once hemostatic control is achieved and small piece, soaked sponge should be used if the sponge is to be left in place, in order to avoid this complication. Highlights: