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Additional file 1 Figure 1. Flow Diagram.

This is a retrospective study.The purpose of this study is to compare the clinical outcomes between O-arm navigation combined with microscope-assisted minimally invasive transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (novel MIS-TLIF) and open-TLIF for the treatment of 1-level lumbar degenerative disease.MIS-TLIF is becoming increasingly popular; however, the limited visualization may increase various surgical complications. O-arm navigation and microscope have the potential to display the specific anatomic structures and better magnification.This study involved 45 patients with 1-level lumbar degenerative disease who underwent novel MIS-TLIF or open-TLIF. Operating time, intraoperative blood loss, and hospitalization stay were analyzed. The accuracy of pedicle screw placement was assessed by computed tomography. Visual analog scale (VAS) scoring and Oswestry disability index (ODI) were assessed preoperatively and postoperatively.Intraoperative blood loss was significantly less in the novel MIS-TLIF group compared with the open-TLIF group (P0.05). The average time for hospitalization stay in the novel MIS-TLIF group was significantly shorter than open-TLIF group (P0.05). However, the operative time of novel MIS-TLIF group was longer than open-TLIF group (P0.05). The accuracy rate of pedicle screw position in the novel MIS-TLIF group which guided by O-arm navigation was higher than conventional open-TLIF group (96.4% vs. 86.5%; P0.05). Meanwhile, the VAS score for the low back pain and ODI score in the novel MIS-TLIF group were lower than that in the open-TLIF group 1 month after surgery (P0.05). No difference of the VAS score for leg pain was found between these 2 groups (P0.05), neither as the fusion rate in between the 2 groups (P0.05).O-arm navigation combined with microscope-assisted MIS-TLIF may has several advantages including less blood loss, shorter hospitalization stay, higher accuracy of pedicle screw placement, and faster recovery period in treating 1-level lumbar degenerative disease.

Chordoma is a rare, locally aggressive neoplasm of bone, usually with poor prognosis. The treatment for chordoma has been unsatisfactory for decades. MiRNAs were recently introduced into this field and provided new insights to the pathogenesis and pathophysiology of chordoma. However, molecular basis of chordoma remains ambiguous up to now. This research aims to discover novel miRNA molecules as potential biomarkers and therapeutic targets. We measured the expression of miRNA-1290 in chordoma tissues and fetal nucleus pulposus tissues by quantitative real-time PCR. Further, we analyzed its association with the clinical features as well as the prognosis of patients. The expression of miRNA-1290 in chordoma samples was significantly lower than fetal nucleus pulposus samples (P=0.026). Low expression of miRNA-1290 contributed to tumor invasion into surrounding muscle (P=0.013), while no obvious significance was identified between miRNA-1290 expression and patients’ age, gender, tumor location and size (P>0.05). Log-rank test showed that low-level miRNA-1290 expression had a prominent impact on the patients’ RFS (P=0.004). Conclusively, miRNA-1290 might be a valuable prognostic biomarker and efficient therapeutic target for sacral chordoma.

Wear particle-induced inflammation is a major factor contributing to aseptic loosening in peri-prosthetic tissue. The effects of cannabinoid receptor 2 (CB2) on wear particle-induced inflammation remain unclear. Reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay were used to assess the effects of a CB2-selective antagonist, AM630, on regulation of the inflammatory reaction and production of pro-inflammatory cytokines in response to in vitro and in vivo stimulation with titanium particles. In vitro studies, in a model for pre-osteoclast-like cells, demonstrated that AM630 inactivation of CB2 profoundly inhibited interleukin (IL)-1β and tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-α production by RAW264.7 cells stimulated with titanium particles. In vivo findings in a murine air-pouch model of titanium-induced inflammatory osteolysis indicated that AM630 reduced titanium-induced tissue inflammation, seen as a reduction in pouch membrane thickness, inflammatory infiltration and levels of the pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-1β and TNF-α. Thus, inactivation of CB2 by AM630 inhibited the titanium particle-induced inflammatory reaction by reducing pro-inflammatory cytokines in vitro and in vivo.

Study design An animal study. Objective To compare the biomechanical and biometabolic properties between calcium phosphate (CaP), calcium sulfate (CaS), and polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) as bone void fillers in a sheep model of lumbar vertebral defect. Summary of background data PMMA is commonly used as a bone void filler in vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty. However, it has certain intrinsic limitations. CaP and CaS are considered as potential PMMA substitutes, but further in vivo evaluations of their biomechanical and biometabolic properties are needed before they can be recommended for clinical use in routine vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty procedures. Methods Bone voids were experimentally created on lumbar vertebrae L2-L5 with L6 left intact as a normal control in 24 adult female sheep. The defect vertebrae L2-L5 in each of the animals were randomized to receive no filler augmentation (controls) or augmentation with CaP, CaS, or PMMA. Animals were killed after 2, 12, and 24 weeks of the bone filler augmentation, respectively. Vertebrae L2-L6 were collected and their biomechanical strength/stiffness, osseointegration activity, and biodegradability were evaluated. Results At all 3 time points tested, the PMMA-augmented lumbar vertebra had the highest biomechanical strength and stiffness, followed by the intact vertebra L6. CaP and CaS significantly improved the strength as compared with the sham augmentation, but did not yet restore it to the normal level. Osteogenesis occurred at low levels in the empty vertebrae, in the CaP-augmented defect vertebrae at 12 and 24 weeks, and in the CaS-augmented vertebrae at 12 weeks, but at a substantially high level after 24 weeks of CaS augmentation. The filler biodegradation rate was low in the CaP-augmented vertebrae, but was substantially high in the CaS-augmented vertebrae. Conclusions CaP and CaS are effective enough to strengthen the fractured lumbar vertebrae in a time-dependent manner, although not as good as PMMA. CaS has a much higher osseointegration capacity than CaP.

This prospective randomized study compared the outcome of elderly patients with an unstable pertrochanteric fracture, treated with a proximal femoral nail antirotation device (PFNA; n = 51) or a dynamic hip screw (DHS; n = 55). All patients in the DHS group and nine in the PFNA group had open reductions. Incisions were significantly shorter for the PFNA than the DHS group. Blood loss and the number of patients requiring postoperative blood transfusions were significantly greater, but operation and fluoroscopy times were significantly shorter, for the DHS versus the PFNA group. Time to mobilization with a frame was significantly shorter in the PFNA group, and post-operative complications were more common in the DHS group. Poor fracture reduction led to three revisions. All fractures in both groups united during follow-up. The PFNA allowed earlier mobilization and faster recovery than the DHS. The PFNA is a highly acceptable, minimally invasive implant for unstable fractures.