Complex fractures of the clivus: diagnosis with CT and clinical outcome in 11 patients

During a 20-month period, fractures of the clivus occurring after craniocerebral trauma were diagnosed with computed tomography (CT) in 11 patients. Five patients had longitudinally oriented fractures; these were fatal in four patients due to either vertebral-basilar artery occlusion, brain stem trauma, or both. Six other patients had transversely oriented fractures that extended through the carotid canal and petrous temporal bone. While less frequently contributing directly to mortality, transverse fractures were also associated with cerebrospinal fluid leaks (two patients) and a cavernous sinus-carotid fistula (one patient). They were not as frequently associated with Horner syndrome or cranial nerve deficits as suggested in the current literature. This retrospective evaluation reveals two distinct injury patterns that demonstrate a difference in related morbidity and mortality.     

单侧椎弓根螺钉结合对侧关节突螺钉固定应用于Wiltse入路经椎间孔腰椎椎间融合术的早期疗效观察

背景：目前,多数腰椎微创融合手术多需双侧的旁正中切口以完成椎管减压、椎间融合和后路固定。本研究介绍了一种新的术式,相比以往的方法更加简单、创伤更小,同时固定强度满意。 目的：介绍一种用于微创腰椎经椎间孔融合术（transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion,TLIF）的新的后路内固定技术,并对其安全性和有效性进行评估。 方法：回顾性分析2009年9月至2010年10月,采用单节段的腰椎管减压＋TLIF,同时辅以同侧的椎弓根螺钉固定＋对侧的关节突螺钉固定的40例患者。男20例,女20例,年龄27-82岁,平均57．5岁。手术节段：IA-523例,15-S114例,B-43例。总结临床疗效及并发症。 结果：手术时间97-167min,平均124min。术中出血100-200ml,平均140ml,无输血。术后住院时间3d,平均1-6d。2例患者术后在关节突螺钉侧出现小腿疼痛,行翻修手术取出关节突螺钉,其中1例术后症状缓解,另1例无缓解。无伤口感染和脑脊液漏发生。所有患者术后随访时间均超过10个月,期间融合节段无脊柱不稳发生。 结论：单侧椎弓根螺钉辅以对侧关节突螺钉可以用于单节段Wihse入路的微创腰椎TLIF术,其固定强度满意。与传统的双侧旁正中入路相比,该技术可避免双侧切口的显露和剥离,减少组织损伤,同时具有缩短手术时间、减少出血的优点,但该技术在置入关节突螺钉时需要警惕神经根损伤的风险。     

Physical and functional interactions between Stat5 and the tyrosine- phosphorylated receptors for erythropoietin and interleukin-3

Erythropoietin (Epo) and interleukin-3 (IL-3) stimulate activation of the Jak2 tyrosine kinase and induce tyrosine phosphorylation and activation of Stat5. In the present study, we have shown that Epo or IL- 3 stimulation induces binding of Stat5 to the tyrosine-phosphorylated Epo receptor (EpoR) or IL-3 receptor beta subunit (betaIL3), respectively, in IL-3-dependent 32D cells expressing the EpoR. The binding of Stat5 to these cytokine receptors was shown to be rapid and transient, occurring within 1 minute of stimulation of cells and significantly decreasing after 5 minutes of cell treatment. In vivo binding experiments in COS cells showed that binding of Stat5 to the EpoR was mediated through the Stat5 Src homology 2 (SH2) domain. In vitro binding studies further showed that Stat5, but not other Stats examined, bound specifically to tyrosine-phosphorylated recombinant EpoR fusion proteins. In these in vivo and in vitro binding studies, Stat5 bound, albeit to a lesser degree, to truncated EpoR mutants in which all the intracellular tyrosines except Y-343 were removed. Furthermore, EpoR-derived synthetic phosphotyrosine peptides corresponding to Y-343, Y-401, Y-431, and Y-479 inhibited the in vitro binding of Stat5. When expressed in 32D cells, a mutant EpoR in which all the intracellular tyrosines were removed by carboxy-terminal truncation showed a significantly impaired ability to induce tyrosine phosphorylation of Stat5, particularly at low concentrations of Epo, but exhibited an increased sensitivity to Epo for growth signaling as compared with the wild-type EpoR. These results indicate that Stat5 specifically and transiently binds to the EpoR through the interaction between the Stat5 SH2 domain and specific phosphorylated tyrosines, including Y-343, in the EpoR cytoplasmic domain. It was implied that betaIL3 may also have similar Stat5 docking sites. The Stat5 docking sites in the EpoR were shown to facilitate specific activation of Stat5, which, however, may not be required for the EpoR-mediated growth signaling.     

Intercostal nerve transfer to the biceps motor branch in complete traumatic brachial plexus injuries

The purpose of this report is to critically evaluate our results of two intercostal nerve transfers directly to the biceps motor branch in complete traumatic brachial plexus injuries. From January 2007 to November 2012, 19 patients were submitted to this type of surgery, but only 15 of them had a follow‐up for ≥2 years and were included in this report. The mean interval from trauma to surgery was 6.88 months (ranging from 3 to 9 months). Two intercostals nerves were dissected and transferred directly to the biceps motor branch. The mean follow‐up was 38.06 months (ranging from 24 to 62 months). Ten patients (66.6%) recovered an elbow flexion strength ≥M3. Four of them (26.66%) recovered a stronger elbow flexion ≥M4. One patient (6.25%) recovered an M2 elbow flexion and four patients (26.66%) did not regain any movement. We concluded that two intercostal nerve transfers to the biceps motor branch is a procedure with moderate results regarding elbow flexion recovery, but it is still one of the few options available in complete brachial plexus injuries, especially in five roots avulsion scenario. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microsurgery 35:428–431, 2015.