This was a retrospective study. We aimed to compare the clinical efficacy and safety between minimally invasive and traditional open transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion in the treatment of low-grade lumbar degenerative spondylolisthesis (LDS). 81 patients with LDS grades 1 and 2 treated in our spinal department from January 2014 to July 2016 were retrospectively analyzed. The MIS-TLIF group included 23 males and 11 females, while the TO-TLIF group included 29 males and 18 females. Follow-up points were set at 7 days, 3 months, 6 months, 12 months postoperatively and the last follow-up. Various clinical and radiological indicators were used to evaluate and compare the efficacy and safety between the two procedures. 8 cases (3 in the MIS-TLIF group and 5 in the TO-TLIF group) were loss of follow-up after discharge. And the remaining 73 patients were followed up for at least 2 years. No statistically significant difference was observed in the terms of age, sex, BMI, slippage grade, and surgical segments. The MIS-TLIF group had a longer operation and fluoroscopy time compared with the TO-TLIF group. But the MIS-TLIF group was associated with less blood loss, ambulation time, hospital stay, and time of return to work. In each group, significant improvement were observed in BP-VAS, ODI and vertebral slip ratio at any time-point of follow-up when compared with the preoperative condition. When the time-point of follow-up was less than 1 year, the MIS-TLIF group had significant advantages in the BP-VAS and ODI compared with TO-TLIF group. But no significant difference was observed in the BP-VAS and ODI at either 12 month follow-up or the last follow-up. Besides, no statistical difference was detected in vertebral slip ratio at any time-point of follow-up between the two groups. Successful intervertebral bone fusion was found in all patients and no significant difference was found in the incidence of total complications. Thus, we considered that MIS-TLIF and TO-TLIF both achieve satisfactory clinical efficacy in the treatment of low-grade single-segment LDS. But MIS-TLIF appears to be a more efficacious and safe technique with reduced tissue damage, less blood loss and quicker recovery.

Objective. Sodium tanshinone IIA sulfonate (STS) is a water‐soluble derivative of tanshinone IIA, a representative traditional Chinese medicine. The aim of the study was to investigate the capability of STS to reverse injury‐induced intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD) and explore the potential mechanisms. Methods. Forty adult rats were randomly allocated into groups (control, IDD, STS10, and STS20). An IDD model was established by puncturing the Co8‐9 disc using a needle. Rats in the STS groups were administered STS by daily intraperitoneal injection (10 or 20 mg/kg body weight) while rats in the control and IDD groups received the same quantity of normal saline. After four weeks, the entire spine from each rat was scanned for X‐ray and MRI analysis. Each Co8‐9 IVD underwent histological analysis (H&E, Safranin‐O Fast green, and alcian blue staining). A tissue was analyzed by immunohistochemical (IHC) staining to determine the expression levels of collagen II (COL2), aggrecan, matrix metalloproteinase‐3/13 (MMP‐3/13), interleukin‐1β (IL‐1β), IL‐6, and tumor necrosis factor‐α (TNF‐α). Levels of oxidative stress were measured using an ELISA while activity of the p38 MAPK pathway was assessed using Western blot analysis. Results. Compared with the control group, needle puncture significantly decreased IVD volume and T‐2 weighted MR signal intensity, confirming disc degeneration. These alterations were significantly attenuated by treatment with 10 or 20 mg/kg STS. Lower COL2 and aggrecan and higher MMP‐3/13, IL‐1β, IL‐6, and TNF‐α levels in the IDD group were substantially reversed by STS. In addition, treatment with STS increased antioxidative enzyme activity and decreased levels of oxidative stress induced by needle puncture. Furthermore, STS inhibited the p38 MAPK pathway in the rat model of IDD. Conclusions. STS ameliorated injury‐induced intervertebral disc degeneration and displayed anti‐inflammatory and antioxidative properties in a rat model of IDD, possibly via inhibition of the p38 MAPK signaling pathway.

Objective. To investigate the effects of Danshen on the imaging and histological parameters, expression levels of ECM-associated proteins and inflammatory factors, and antioxidative activity in the degenerated intervertebral disc (IVD) of SD rats. Methods. Sixty male rats were randomly divided into three groups (control, IDD, and Danshen IDD). Percutaneous needle puncture in Co8-9 intervertebral disc was conducted in all rats of the IDD and Danshen IDD groups to induce intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD). After operation, animals of the Danshen IDD group were administrated with Danshen granules (3g/kg body weight ) by gavage once a day. Four weeks later, the coccygeal vertebrae were harvested and used for imaging (disc height and MR signal), histological, immunohistochemical, and biochemical [water content, glycosaminoglycans (GAG), superoxide dismutase (SOD2), glutathione (GSH), and malondialdehyde (MDA)] analyses. Results. The puncture induced significant decreased IVD space and MR T2 signal at both 2 and 4 weeks, which were attenuated by Danshen treatment. The disc degeneration in the IDD group (HE and Safranin O-Fast Green histological staining was markedly more serious compared with that in the control group. Four weeks of Danshen treatment significantly alleviated this degeneration compared with the IDD group. Needle puncture resulted in the upregulation of IL-1β and TNF-α, MMP-3, and downregulation of COL2 and aggrecan in the IDD group. However, this change was significantly weakened by Danshen treatment. Significantly lower water and GAG content, as well as the SOD2 and GSH levels, in the IDD group were found compared with those in the control group. However, the above parameters of the Danshen IDD group were significantly higher than those of the IDD group. Danshen treatment significantly decreased the content of MDA which was increased by needle puncture in the IDD group. Conclusion. Danshen can attenuate intervertebral disc degeneration in SD rats by suppressing the oxidation reaction.

Purpose. We aimed to present our experience in anchoring technique and evaluate the efficacy and safety of unilateral percutaneous vertebroplasty in patients with neurologically intact Kümmell’s disease. Methods. From January 2014 to December 2017, 29 patients (17 males and 12 females) with neurologically intact Kümmell’s disease were operated on using anchoring technique in unilateral percutaneous vertebroplasty (PVP). Ages of the enrolled patients ranged from 67 to 81 years (mean 73.8 years). Clinical efficacy was evaluated by back pain visual analogue scale (BP-VAS) score, Oswestry disability index (ODI) score, as well as the height of anterior border and the kyphotic angle of the involved vertebral body on a standing lateral radiograph. The safety of PVP was assessed by surgical-related complications, including bone cement leakage and neurological deficit. Results. All 29 patients underwent the PVP procedure successfully. The mean operation time was 35 ± 12 min. And all patients were able to walk/ambulate with a thoracolumbar brace after 12 to 24 hours, staying in bed postoperatively. Significantly statistical differences were observed in both BP-VAS and ODI scores at each time point of follow-up when compared with the preoperative condition (P<0.05). Besides, statistically significant improvement in radiographic measurements such as kyphotic angle and the height of the anterior border of the involved vertebral body between the preoperative and postoperative assessments was also observed (P<0.05) and asymptomatic leakage of cement occurred in 7 of 29 cases (24.1%). Conclusions. We considered that the anchoring technique in unilateral PVP could provide an effective and safe alternative for neurologically intact Kümmell’s disease.

Acupuncture is widely used for lumbar pain, yet needle-related spinal epidural haematoma (SEH) remains a rarely reported but potentially catastrophic compl