Unusual course of an epidural rhabdomyosarcoma of the upper thoracic spine

Summary This report deals with a case of rhabdomyosarcoma in the upper thoracic spine. It is of particular interest, not only for the rarity of type and location of this tumour, but for its clinical course, which presented fluctuations of neurological status, included an acute demonstration of complete paraplegia followed by full recovery after conservative treatment, and gradual relapsing of neurological deficit, one year later.     

The role of cytogenetics in the classification of soft tissue tumours

 Soft tissue tumours represent a heterogeneous group of mesenchymal lesions, and their classification is the subject of continuous debate. Chromosome analysis, molecular cytogenetics and molecular assays may become increasingly useful in diagnosis, and this review summarises advances in the cytogenetic characterisation and classification of soft tissue tumours. Among the group of fibrous lesions, superficial fibromatosis exhibits trisomy 8. This genomic change is also observed in desmoid fibromatosis in association with trisomy 20. Trisomy 11 is the most frequently observed chromosomal aberration in congenital fibrosarcoma. Dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans and giant cell fibroblastoma share a translocation t(17;22), which supports the concept of the existence of a common differentiation pathway. Adipose tissue tumours is the group in which integration of genetics and pathology has been most fruitful. Ordinary lipomas cytogenetically show an abnormal karyotype in about half the cases. Genomic changes of the 11q13 region are observed in hibernoma. Lipoblastoma exhibits a specific 8q rearrangement in 8q11-q13. Loss of material from the region 16q13-qter and 13q deletions are observed in spindle cell/pleomorphic lipomas. The well-differentiated liposarcoma/atypical lipoma group is characterised karyotypically by the presence of one extra ring and/or extra giant chromosome marker. Myxoid and round cell liposarcoma share the same characteristic chromosome change: t(12;16)(q13;p11) in most cases. In the group of smooth muscle lesions most data are derived from uterine leiomyomas, which can be subclassified cytogenetically into seven different types. Half of all leiomyomas are chromosomally normal; the other half have one of six possible consistent chromosome changes. Alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma is characterised cytogenetically by two variant translocations t(2;13)(q35;q14) and t(1;13)(p36;q14). Among tenosynovial tumours, the localised type of giant cell tumour of tendon sheath exhibits two different karyotypic changes. One involves 1p11 in a translocation with chromosome 2 or with another chromosome. A second type involves 16q24. Synovial sarcoma is characterised cytogenetically by a translocation occurring between chromosome 18 and presumably two adjacent loci on the X chromosome. In neural tumours, abnormalities of chromosome 22 have been reported in benign schwannomas and perineuriomas. Malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumours exist in two main forms: sporadic and associated with the NF-1 syndrome. Karyotypes are very complex, but chromosomes 17q and 22q are very often involved. Clear cell sarcoma is characterised cytogenetically and molecularly by a translocation t(12;22)(q13;q12). The Ewing’s sarcoma/peripheral neuroectodermal tumour category shows a central karyotypic anomaly represented by the translocation t(11;22). The two variants t(21;22) and t(7;22) are found in some cases. Among cartilaginous lesion, the most frequently described anomaly is the t(9;22)(q22;q12) in extraskeletal myxoid chondrosarcoma. Intra-abdominal desmoplastic small round cell tumour is characterised by a t(11;22)(p13;q12). Received: 5 February 1997 / Accepted: 24 February 1997     

小切口加脊柱花刀治疗髓核骨化性腰椎间盘突出症

为保留腰椎后部结构的完整性，防止术后腰椎不稳，采用小切口单侧小开窗加脊柱花刀治疗旁侧型髓核骨化性腰椎间盘突出症22例，单侧扩大开窗加脊柱花刀治疗中央型髓核骨化性腰椎间盘突出症10例。手术尽可能地保留了腰椎全部结构的完整性，可防止术后腰椎不稳和减少对硬膜和神经根的疤痕粘连。并就32例髓核骨化性腰椎间盘突出症患者CT图像中髓核骨化的形式和形态进行了讨论。     

胸腰椎稳定性重建方法的改进

为了改进胸腰椎脱位的治疗方法，更好地重建脊柱稳定性，设计了一种新的脊柱固定器械，由滚花钉及连接板构成，并通过椎弓根进行的一种脊柱后路短节段固定方法，脊柱固定范围限制在两个椎体间。１９８９年～１９９５年，临床应用这种新器械矫正胸腰椎脱位１２例，经１～４年随访，畸形矫正满意，固定牢固。结果表明：该器械具有手术方法简单、固定牢固和手术创伤小等优点。认为，该项技术适用于胸腰椎稳定性的重建。     

The effect of prior back surgery on surgical outcome in patients operated on for lumbar spinal stenosis a matched-pair study

Summary It has been widely observed that the outcome after repeat lumbar surgery is rarely comparable to that of primary surgery. In particular, the results of repeat surgery for lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS) have not been favourable. We used a matched-pair format in an attempt to decrease the confounding factors so as to determine as exactly as possible the effect of prior back surgery on the LSS patients surgical outcome. The matching criteria were sex, age, myelographic findings, major symptom, and duration of symptoms. From one group of 251 patients without prior back surgery (SO patients) and another of fifty-three patients with one preceding back operation (RS patients), forty-one similar matched patients pairs (one SO and one RS-patient) were formed.There were 8 female and 33 male pairs. The mean age of the SO patients was 51.6 and of the RS patient 51.4 years, and the mean follow-up time was 4.6 and 4.4 years. The assessment of outcome was based on a subjective disability questionnaire. The SO patients fared significantly better than the RS patients (32.1 versus 41.3, P = 0.026). A short time interval between operations in the RS patients had a worsening effect on outcome, but this trend was not significant.We concluded that one preceding back operation had a worsening effect on the outcome of patients operated on for LSS. As a whole, the results of RS patients were unfavourable. The proper time for achieving good surgical results in LSS patients is the initial operation.     

椎管镜技术治疗腰椎间盘突出症并侧隐窝狭窄

目的 :探讨椎管镜技术治疗腰椎间盘突出症并侧隐窝狭窄的临床效果。方法 :采用显微内窥镜椎间盘切除系统治疗腰椎间盘突出症并侧隐窝狭窄 860例。结果 :临床疗效参照NaKai分级 ,70 9例获得随访 ,平均 2年 7个月 ,优 ,5 5 9例 ;良 ,12 7例 ;可 ,2 3例。结论 :椎管镜技术是治疗腰椎间盘疾病安全有效的方法 ,住院时间短 ,恢复快 ,但操作技术有待进一步提高。     

原发性胸椎原始神经外胚层肿瘤的动态增强MRI表现

目的 初步探讨原始神经外胚层肿瘤(PNET)的动态增强MRI表现，以及对其诊断及鉴别诊断的价值。方法 用动态增强MRI方法对已手术和病理证实的2例胸椎PNET行3次MR检查并进行前瞻性研究。结果 在信号强度-时间和对比增强率．时间曲线上，2例PNET3次检查均表现为快升慢降型，即肿瘤早期就开始迅速增强，上升峰极陡，60～120s即达到高峰水平，然后保持平坦，3．5min内未见明显下降曲线。结论 动态增强MRI扫描能帮助对PNET进行早期诊断和鉴别诊断，从而为临床选择治疗方案及估计预后提供较为可靠的依据。     

Pedicle screw fixation with translaminar facet joint screws for the treatment of thoracolumbar fracture

Objective:To evaluate the efficacy of Cotrel-Dubeusset (CD) instrumentation combined with translaminar facet joint screw ( TLS ) in the treatment of thoracolumbar fracture. Methods: A total of six L2-L4 spines were used to establish unstable fracture model with three-dimensional range of motion ( ROM ) of the spines measured. Fixation with CD and fixation with CD combined with translaminar facet joint screw were achieved to compare their stability. Thirty cases of thoracolumbar fracture, in whom the anterior edge of vertebral body was compressed to 59% and the posterior edge compressed to 88%, were treated by pedicle screw fixation combined with TLS. Among them, 19 received posterolateral or anterior-posterior bone grafting Results- There was significant difference in ROM between the two techniques except that in extension. In Group CD TLS, ROM was 5.38% lower, lateral bending 4.91% lower and axial rotation 11.85 % lower than those in Group CD respectively. In the clinical group, the average anterior edge restored to 97 % and posterior edge to 98%. The duration of follow-up was 5-24 months (mean, 10 months). The rate of correction loss on the anterior edge was 4.5%. Among the 19 cases of bone grafting, all of them achieved bony fusion (mean fusion time, 4.3 month) with a correction loss rate of 3.4%. Conclusions:In the treatment of thoracolumbar fracture, pedicle screw fixation combined with TLS can strengthen the stability of pedicle screws, especially antirotation stability and enhance fusion rate and reduce correction loss.     

坐位腰椎旋转手法时腰椎单元内在应力和位移的实时监测

目的:用三维有限元法,分析施行坐位腰椎旋转手法时退变腰椎单元的内在应力及位移分布的特点,以探讨手法的作用机制、安全性及其合理性。方法:使用正常L4,5腰椎CT片,以Mimics软件系统逐层重建,建立L4,5三维有限元模型。根据手法原理,将坐位腰椎旋转手法进行分解,把各项力学参数代入三维有限元模型进行计算分析。观察手法作用时腰椎间盘的位移和内在应力的变化。结果:最大的应力集中点分布于环椎体峡部、椎弓根、上位椎体小关节面的下端。椎间盘的应力集中分布于环前外侧部,右后外侧部应力大于左后外侧部。最大位移出现在上位椎体的上关节。左侧小关节面相对位移较大,左侧椎间孔变大;右侧椎小关节面间移位小,右侧椎间孔变小,椎间盘右后外侧部向后突出。结论:模拟坐位腰椎旋转手法时,向健侧旋转优于向患侧旋转。     

颈椎病合并下颈椎不稳的外科治疗策略

目的 探讨颈椎病合并下颈椎不稳的临床诊断、术式选择及手术疗效。方法 对手术治疗的32例颈椎病合并下颈椎不稳，分别摄术前及术后随访之颈椎正侧位、伸屈侧位X线片及颈椎MR检查。32例均经前路行减压、植骨融合、内固定手术治疗。以颈椎不稳节段与颈椎主要退变节段重合，并行减压内固定患者为A组，共7例；对25例颈椎不稳与颈椎病节段不重合，以其中仅处理颈椎病节段9例为B组；在处理颈椎病节段同时处理颈椎不稳节段16例为C组。以“40分”评分法分别对患者术前、术后随访情况予以评价，对数据分别行组间均值t检验及组内配对t检验。结果 经12～36个月随访（平均25个月），所有患者均获骨性融合，平均改善率61．2％。A、B、C组间均值t检验：术前差异无显著性（P〉0．05）、术后差异亦无显著性（P〉0．05）。各组内配对t检验，术前、术后随访差异均有显著性（P〈0．05）。结论 在颈椎病合并下颈椎不稳的患者中，不稳节段与主要退变节段关系密切但往往并不重合。通过颈前路手术，在处理颈椎病节段同时处理相邻颈椎不稳节段，临床疗效满意。