A case series in vertebral body tethering results in improvement in coronal Cobb angle but deterioration in axial rotation: a 3-dimensional analysis.

Background: Vertebral body tethering (VBT) has shown improvements in coronal and sagittal plane correction in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) patients, but axial correction over time remains unexplored. Three-dimensional (3D) spine reconstruction was used to analyse correctional changes in all spinal planes post VBT surgery.

Case Description: AIS subjects who underwent thoracic VBT surgery with a minimum 2-year follow-up were assessed.

Normative values of spinal and peripheral proprioception in position sense among healthy adolescents and young adults.

Establishing normative values and understanding how proprioception varies among body parts is crucial. However, the variability across individuals, especially adolescents, makes it difficult to establish norms. This prevents further investigation into classifying patients with abnormal proprioception.

Low-molecular-weight estrogenic phytoprotein suppresses osteoporosis development through positive modulation of skeletal estrogen receptors.

Age-related osteoporosis is a metabolic skeletal disorder caused by estrogen deficiency in postmenopausal women. Prolonged use of anti-osteoporotic drugs such as bisphosphonates and FDA-approved anti-resorptive selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs) has been associated with various clinical drawbacks. We recently discovered a low-molecular-weight biocompatible and osteoanabolic phytoprotein, called HKUOT-S2 protein (32 kDa), from Thunb that can accelerate bone defect healing.

Patient-perceived factors on treatment satisfaction in early onset scoliosis treated surgically with a minimum of ten years.

Background: The prognosis of surgically treated subjects with early onset scoliosis (EOS) into adulthood has been lacking. We aimed to investigate the patients' perspectives on satisfaction with surgical treatment.

Methodology: We included all surgical candidates with EOS who had undergone index spinal surgery for scoliosis correction between 2009 and 2013.

Percutaneous endoscopic lumbar discectomy in lumbar disc herniation with posterior ring apophysis fracture: A case report in a 15-year-old child.

Rationale: Lumbar disc herniation (LDH) with posterior ring apophysis fracture (PRAF) is rather rare in children, and in all age-stratified LDH patients, the incidence of RAF was 5.3% to 7.5%.

Incidence of back pain from initial presentation to 3 years of follow-up in subjects with untreated adolescent idiopathic scoliosis.

Background: Although back pain may be present in subjects with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS), its natural history is unknown. Therefore, this study evaluated the incidence of back pain in scoliotic adolescents longitudinally.

Methods: This retrospective analysis examined prospectively collected pain subscale data of the Scoliosis Research Society questionnaire between the initial presentation and up to 3 years of follow-up.

Scoliosis in osteogenesis imperfecta: identifying the genetic and non-genetic factors affecting severity and progression from longitudinal data of 290 patients.

Background: Scoliosis is widely prevalent among osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) patients, and is progressive with age. However, factors affecting scoliosis in OI are not well known.

Methods: We retrospectively retrieved longitudinal radiographic and clinical records of consecutive OI patients seeking treatments at our hospital from 2014 to 2022, graded their pre-operative spinal conditions into four outcome groups, estimated their progression rates, and descriptively and inferentially analyzed the genetic and non-genetic factors that may affect the outcomes and progression rates.

Impact of mental health components on the development of back pain in young adults with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis.

Background: Back pain occurs commonly in adults and is multifactorial in nature. This study aimed to assess the prevalence and intensity of back pain during young adulthood in subjects with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS), as well as factors that may be associated with its prognosis.

Methods: Subjects with AIS aged 20-39 treated conservatively were included in this study.

An intelligent composite model incorporating global / regional X-rays and clinical parameters to predict progressive adolescent idiopathic scoliosis curvatures and facilitate population screening.

Background: Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) affects up to 5% of the population. The efficacy of school-aged screening remains controversial since it is uncertain which curvatures will progress following diagnosis and require treatment. Patient demographics, vertebral morphology, skeletal maturity, and bone quality represent individual risk factors for progression but have yet to be integrated towards accurate prognostication.

Mechanical characterization and design of biomaterials for nucleus pulposus replacement and regeneration.

Biomaterials for nucleus pulposus (NP) replacement and regeneration have great potential to restore normal biomechanics in degenerated intervertebral discs following nucleotomy. Mechanical characterizations are essential for assessing the efficacy of biomaterial implants for clinical applications. While traditional compression tests are crucial to quantify various modulus values, relaxation behaviors and fatigue resistance, rheological measurements should also be conducted to investigate the viscoelastic properties, injectability, and overall stability upon deformation.

Application of silver nanoparticles for improving motor recovery after spinal cord injury via reduction of pro-inflammatory M1 macrophages.

Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) possess anti-inflammatory activities and have been widely deployed for promoting tissue repair. Here we explored the efficacy of AgNPs on functional recovery after spinal cord injury (SCI). Our data indicated that, in a SCI rat model, local AgNPs delivery could significantly recover locomotor function and exert neuroprotection through reducing of pro-inflammatory M1 survival.

A new osteogenic protein isolated from Thunb accelerates bone defect healing through the mTOR signaling axis.

Delayed bone defect repairs lead to severe health and socioeconomic impacts on patients. Hence, there are increasing demands for medical interventions to promote bone defect healing. Recombinant proteins such as BMP-2 have been recognized as one of the powerful osteogenic substances that promote mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) to osteoblast differentiation and are widely applied clinically for bone defect repairs.

Minimum 3-year experience with vertebral body tethering for treating scoliosis: A systematic review and single-arm meta-analysis.

Purpose: Over the past 12 years, vertebral body tethering (VBT) has been gradually promoted for treating scoliosis, but there are few published studies, with only short-term follow-up. This study aimed to systematically review VBT efficacy and safety for treating scoliosis.

Methods: PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, and the Cochrane Library were searched for studies on VBT treatment of scoliosis published up to November 2021.

Functional recovery priorities and community rehabilitation service preferences of spinal cord injury individuals and caregivers of Chinese ethnicity and cultural background.

Introduction: Spinal cord injury (SCI) causes significant and permanent disability affecting motor, sensory and autonomic functions. We conducted a survey on the priorities of functional recovery and preferences for community rehabilitation services in a cohort of Chinese individuals with SCI as well as the primary caregivers. The study also investigated their views on advanced technology and research.

Reliability of a three-dimensional spinal proprioception assessment for patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis.

Purpose: Although it is evident that some patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) have proprioceptive deficit in peripheral joints, knowledge on the proprioceptive function of the deformed spine is limited. Nonetheless, spinal proprioception in AIS may be affected three-dimensionally, prior studies only focussed on evaluating peripheral proprioception in single plane. Therefore, this study aimed to develop a novel spinal proprioception assessment using three-dimensional motion analysis in patients with AIS.

Patient-reported outcomes in a Chinese cohort of osteogenesis imperfecta unveil psycho-physical stratifications associated with clinical manifestations.

Background: Osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) is a rare congenital disorder of the skeletal system, inflicting debilitating physical and psychological distress on patients and caregivers. Over the decades, much effort has been channeled towards understanding molecular mechanisms and developing new treatments. It has recently become more apparent that patient-reported outcome measurements (PROM) during treatment, healing and rehabilitation are helpful in facilitating smoother communication, refining intervention strategies and achieving higher quality of life.

SARS-CoV-2 infection induces inflammatory bone loss in golden Syrian hamsters.

Extrapulmonary complications of different organ systems have been increasingly recognized in patients with severe or chronic Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). However, limited information on the skeletal complications of COVID-19 is known, even though inflammatory diseases of the respiratory tract have been known to perturb bone metabolism and cause pathological bone loss. In this study, we characterize the effects of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection on bone metabolism in an established golden Syrian hamster model for COVID-19.

Application of deep learning upon spinal radiographs to predict progression in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis at first clinic visit.

Background: Prediction of curve progression risk in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) remains elusive. Prior studies have revealed the potential for three-dimensional (3D) morphological parameters to prognosticate progression, but these require specialized biplanar imaging equipment and labor-intensive software reconstruction. This study aimed to formulate a deep learning model with standing posteroanterior (PA) X-rays at first clinic visit to differentiate between progressive (P) and non-progressive (NP) curves.

Learning-based fully automated prediction of lumbar disc degeneration progression with specified clinical parameters and preliminary validation.

Background: Lumbar disc degeneration (LDD) may be related to aging, biomechanical and genetic factors. Despite the extensive work on understanding its etiology, there is currently no automated tool for accurate prediction of its progression.

Purpose: We aim to establish a novel deep learning-based pipeline to predict the progression of LDD-related findings using lumbar MRIs.

A biomechanical study on the effect of lengthening magnitude on spine off-loading in magnetically controlled growing rod surgery: Implications on lengthening frequency.

To assess whether the magnitude of lengthening in magnetically controlled growing rod (MCGR) surgeries has an immediate or delayed effect on spinal off-loading. 9 whole porcine spines were instrumented using two standard MCGRs from T9 to L5. Static compression testing using a mechanical testing system (MTS) was performed at three MCGR lengthening stages (0 mm, 2 mm, and 6 mm) in each spine.

A Randomized Controlled Trial to Evaluate the Clinical Effectiveness of 3D-Printed Orthosis in the Management of Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis.

Study Design: Prospective randomized controlled trial.

Objective: To compare clinical effectiveness and quality of life (QoL) of the 3D-printed orthosis (3O) and conventional orthosis (CO) for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS).

Summary Of Background Data: Using 3D printing technology to design and fabricate orthoses to manage AIS aiming to improve in-orthosis correction and patients' compliance that are considered essential factors of effective treatment.

The first magnetically controlled growing rod (MCGR) in the world - lessons learned and how the identified complications helped to develop the implant in the past decade: case report.

Background: The first magnetically controlled growing rod (MCGR) was implanted in 2009. Since then multiple complications have been identified that have helped drive the development of the MCGR and its surgery. The aim of this report is to illustrate how identified complications in the first MCGR helped with developments in the past decade and to report a unique failure mechanism with stud fracture close to the barrel opening.

Predictors of neurologic outcome after surgery for cervical ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament differ based on myelopathy severity: a multicenter study.

Objective: The purpose of this retrospective multicenter study was to compare prognostic factors for neurological recovery in patients undergoing surgery for cervical ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament (OPLL) based on their presenting mild, moderate, or severe myelopathy.

Methods: The study included 372 consecutive patients with OPLL who underwent surgery for cervical myelopathy between 2006 and 2016 in East Asian countries with a high OPLL prevalence. Baseline and postoperative clinical outcomes were assessed using the Japanese Orthopaedic Association (JOA) myelopathy score and recovery ratio.