The Establishment and Development of Finite Element Model of Human Cervical Vertebra and Its Application Example

The incidence rate of cervical spondylosis is high,and due to the complicacy of cervical vertebra structure,irregularity of shapes and non-uniformity of components,sometimes it’s difficult to achieve planned objectives by experiments in vitro through stress and strain analysis. Besides,the biomechanical factors are of vital significance in the cause of spinal disorders. In this paper the author makes a summary of the present modeling of human cervical vertebra and describes the major methods of establishing the finite element model of human cervical vertebra through several self-constructed models. With the advance of computer technology,the finite element methods have been rapidly developed in cervical vertebra biomechanical researches and have became a major approach for biomechanical researches to simulate more and more clinical conditions.

The design of a cervical vertebra titanium plate-interbody fusion cage

Objective： To study the biomechanical feature of a newly designed cervical vertebra internal fixation device and its clinical applications. Methods： Some functional spinal units were fixed respectively with titanium plate, fusion cage and new device designed by ourselves, then a controlled biomechanical study including flexion, extension, torsion and lateral bending was performed and the results were analyzed. Results： As to the mechanical performance, fusion cage showed poor performance in extension test and so did the titanium plate in the distortion test. However, the new device showed good performance in every test. Conclusion： Both simple titanium plate fixation and simple fusion cage fixation have biomechanical defaults, but they are complementary. The titanium plate-interbody fusion cage avoids the defaults and has specific advantages.

3D Vector Reconstruction of the Typical Cervical Vertebra from Anatomical Sections of Korean Visible Human at the Laboratory of Clinical and Digital Anatomy of Paris Descartes University

Aim: To carry out a 3D vector reconstruction of the typical cervical vertebra from anatomical sections of the “Korean Visible Human” for educational purposes. Material and Methods: The anatomical subject was a 33-year-old Korean man who died of leukemia. He was 164 cm tall and weighed 55 kg. This man donated his body to science. Her body was frozen and cut into several anatomical sections after an MRI and CT scan. These anatomical sections were made using a special saw called a 0.2 mm thick cryomacrotome. Thus 8100 cuts were obtained. Only the sections numbered 940 to 1200 were used for our study. A segmentation by manual contouring of the different parts of the typical cervical vertebra was made using the software Winsurf version 3.5 on a laptop PC running Windows 7 equipped with a Ram of 8 gigas. Results: Our 3D vector model of the typical cervical vertebra is easily manipulated using the Acrobat 3DPDF interface. Each part of the vertebra accessible in a menu can be displayed, hidden or made transparent, and 3D labels are available as well as educational menus for learning anatomy. Conclusion: This original work constitutes a remarkable educational tool for the anatomical study of the typical cervical vertebra and can also be used as a 3D atlas for simulation purposes for training in therapeutic gestures.

Submandibular retropharyngeal cervical vertebra hook-plate for the treatment of C2 vertebral body tumors

Objective To evaluate the clinical results of sub-mandibular retropharyngeal cervical vertebrahook-plate (RCHP)reconsruction for the treatment of of C2 vertebral body tumors.Methods Nine patents with C2 vertebral body tumors

Continuous epidural block of the cervical vertebrae for cervicogenic headache

Background Cervicogenic headache （CEH） is caused by a structural abnormality in the cervical spine. Available treatments for CEH include medical therapy, local botulinum toxin injection, cervical epidural corticosteroid injection, and surgery. The objective of this study was to investigate the safety and efficacy of a continuous epidural block of the cervical vertebra. Methods Medical records were retrospectively analyzed for 37 patients diagnosed with CEH treated by a continuous epidural block of the cervical vertebra with lidocaine, dexamethasone, and saline （5 ml/min） for 3-4 weeks and triamcinolone acetonide 5 mg once weekly for 3-4 weeks. Pain was measured via the visual analogue scale （VAS） in combination with quality of life assessment. Outcome measures were patient-reported days with mild or moderate pain, occurrence of severe pain, and the daily oral dosages of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug use （NSAID）. Results In the 3 months immediately preceding placement of the epidural catheter, the mean number of days with mild or moderate pain was 22.0±4.3. The mean occurrence of severe pain was （3.20±0.75） times and the mean oral dosage of NSAID was （1267±325） mg. During the first 6 months after epidural administration of lidocaine and corticosteroids, the mean number of days with mild or moderate pain, the mean occurrence of severe pain, and the mean daily oral dosages of NSAIDs were significantly decreased compared to 3-month period immediately preceding treatment （P 〈0.01）. By 12 months post-treatment, no significant difference in these three outcome measures was noted. Conclusions Continuous epidural block of the cervical vertebra for patients with CEH is effective for at least six months. Further research is needed to elucidate mechanisms of action and to prolong this effect.

Anatomic comparison of transarticular screws with latera mass screws in cervical vertebrae

Objective： To compare the potential incidence of nerve root （ventral and dorsal ramus） injury caused by cervical transarticular screws and Roy-Camille lateral mass screws. Methods ： Insertion techniques with Klekamp transarticular screws and Roy-Camille lateral mass screws were respectively performed in this study. Each technique involved four specimens and 40 screws, which were inserted from C3 to C7. And 20-mm-long screws were used to overpenetrate the ventral cortex. The anterolateral aspect of the cervical spine was carefully dissected to allow observation of the screw-ramus relationship. Results ： The overall percentage of nerve invasion was significantly lower with Klekamp （45%） technique than with Roy-Camille （ 85 %） technique （ P 〈 0.05 ）. The largest percentage of nerve invasion for Klekamp transarticular screws was found at the dorsal ramus （25 % ）, followed by the ventral ramus （ 15 % ） and the bifurcation of the ventral dorsal ramus （ 5 % ）. The largest percentage of nerve invasion for Roy-Camille lateral mass screws was found at the ventral ramus （80 % ）. Conclusion ： The potential risk of nerve root invasion is lower with Klekamp transarticular screws than with Roy Camille lateral mass screws.

Twenty One Cases of Vertebral-Artery-Type Cervical Spondylosis Treated with Acupuncture and Moxibustion

The vertebral-artery-type cervical spondylosis iscommonly encountered in the middle aged and oldpeople.The author has treated 21 cases of vertebral-artery-type cervical spondylosis by acupuncture andmoxibustion,with the other 19 cases treated only byacupuncture as the controls.The results are reportedas follows.Clinical

Dr.Zhang's Experience in Massotherapy for Treatment of Vertebral-Artery-Type Cervical Spondylopathy

Thirty cases of vertebral-artery-type cervical spondylopathy were treated by Dr. Zhang Tao's technique. The cure rate was 50%, and the total effective rate was 100%.

The clinical characteristics and therapy of syndrome of craniocerebral- cervical vertebral injury

Objective: To explore the clinical characteristics and new treatment for syndrome of craniocerebral-cervical vertebral injury. Methods: The clinical data of 52 patients with head injury accompanied by neck injury were analyzed retrospectively. Results: Craniocerebral injury could result in damage to cervical vertebrae, muscles, vessels and nerves, and even cause vertebral artery injury, which may lead to insufficient blood-supply of vertebral-basal artery. All patients were treated with cervical vertebral traction and the results were good. Conclusions: Acute craniocerebral injury with symptom of insufficient blood-supply of vertebral-basal artery, evident neurosis and atlas-axis half-dislocation in X-ray should be treated by cervical vertebral traction, which will yield better outcome.

RADIOGRAPHIC MEASUREMENT OF THE PREVERTEBRAL SOFT TISSUE OF CERVICAL VERTEBRAE

The radiographic measurement of the prevertebral soft tissue of cervical vertebrae was performed in 87 normal adults. According to the results of the measurement, 10 mm and 20 mm were used as the upper limit normal values of the retropharyngeal and retrotracheal space respectively. We conclude that although the widened soft tissue space is of diagnostic significance, diagnosis should be made on the basis of analysis of the injury history, clinical manifestation and imaging examination.

Radiographic Comparisons between Middle Phalanx of the Third Finger and Cervical Vertebrae Maturation for the Assessment of Skeletal Maturity

Sexual maturation characteristics,chronologic age,dental,and skeletal development are some of the more commonly used means to identify stages of growth.Hand wrist radiograph and cervical vertebrae maturation index(CVMI)are more reliable for skeletal development assessment.This study was conducted to compare the skeletal maturity using the maturational stages of middle phalanx of the third finger(MP3)with cervical vertebrae and then to evaluate the reliability of MP3 as a sole skeletal maturity assessment method.Chronological age group of the 112 subjects was 8-16 years for females and 10-18 years for males were selected for the study.Lateral cephalometry and intra oral peri‑apical radiograph of MP3 of the left hand of each patient were taken.Then,statistically it was correlated which was highly significant.Skeletal maturation of MP3 and cervical vertebrae stages progress with advancing chronological age.Female subjects were advanced on an average of 2 years earlier than male subjects at every stages of growth spurt.These results suggest that MP3 can substitute CVMI for skeletal maturity evaluation to determine optimal treatment time for various orthodontic procedures.The developmental stages of the MP3 could be used as a sole indicator in assessing the skeletal maturity.

The Prevention and Cure of Cervical Vertebra Disease

CERVICAL vertebra problems are common and usually occur in middleaged and elderly people, especially those who often bend over. The symptoms patients might encounter are dizziness, headache, neck and shoulder pain and numbness, and even viscera trouble. The following exercises are a simple and convenient way to prevent and cure cervical vertebra problems. If you continue doing the exercises, you can prevent and cure them. Here are the exercises step by step:

MANAGEMENT OF CEREBROSPINAL FLUID LEAKAGE FOLLOWING CERVICAL SPINE SURGERY

Objective To investigate the management and outcome of cerebrospinal fluid leakage(CSFL)after cervical surgery.Methods Medical records of 642 patients who underwent cervical surgery between December 1999 and December 2005 at our hospital were retrospectively reviewed.Five patients complicated by CSFL after surgery were enrolled,of which 4 cases were complicated after ossified posterior longitudinal ligament or posterior vertebral osteophyte resection directly injuring the dura,and 1 case after posterior cervical double-door laminoplasty without observed dural injury during surgery.Of the 5 CSFL cases,4 cases occurred at 1-3 days after operation and 1 case at 9 days after operation.All 5 postoperative CSFL cases were treated through wound drainage removal,wound sutures,prophylactic antibiotics,and continuous subarachnoid drainage in the elevated head position.Results All 5 CSFL cases experienced leakage cessation within 1-3 days and wound healing within 4-8 days,and subarachnoid drainage lasted 11-16 days with an average volume of 320 mL(range,150-410 mL).Four cases experienced headache,nausea and vomiting,1 case suffered from somnolence and hyponatremia,and symptoms subsided after symptomatic treatment and intravenous fluid administration.All patients were followed up for an average of 32 months(range,22-50 months).No occurrence of cerebrospinal fluid cyst or wound infection was observed.CSFL produced no significant negative effects upon neuromuscular function recovery.Conclusion Continuous subarachnoid cavity drainage in combination with elevated head position is a simple and safe non-surgical method in treatment of CSFL following cervical surgery.

A Variant Maneuver of Acupuncture in Treating Cervical Spondylopathy

Lifting and thrusting with reducing method at acupoint Huatuojiaji (Extra 21) of the affected side was performed to make the limb of the affected side contract involuntarily 1-2 times in 53 cases with cervical spondylopathy. The maneuver produced a much better total effective rate than the routine maneuver (P

Application of anterior decompression and reconstruction using titanium mesh with locking plates in the management of cervical spondylotic myelopathy

Objective：To observe the clinical effect of anterior decompression and reconstruction using titanium mesh with locking plates in the treatment of cervical spondylotic myelopathy. Methods：One hundred and twenty patients with cervical spondylotic myelopathy were treated by anterior decompression and reconstruction using titanium mesh with locking plates. There were 66 men and 54 women ranges in age from 37 to 72 Years（mean age, 58.3 years）. The mean Japanese orthopedic surgery association（JOA） scale was 9.6 points before operation. Patients were followed up clinically and radiographically. Results：Having stood surgery well, the operation time ranged between 60-100 min and bleeding during operation ranged between 20-200 ml. There were no case of postoperative infection, recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy, or esophageal or tracheal laceration or rupture. The average follow-up period was 14.3 months（range, 12 to 24 months） in 96 who were followed up. At the last follow-up visit the mean JOA scale had improved to 14.4 points, reflecting an improvement of 4.8 points. The results were considered to be excellent in 87 patients, good in 25, fair in 6, and poor in 2. No hardware-related complications or adjacent segment degenerative changes were encountered during the follow-up periods. Stable bone union was observed in all cases and the average time required for fusion was 5.7 months. Conclusion：Titanium mesh filled with autologous bone graft can avoid the complications associated with harvesting bone from the iliac crest donor site. When combined with cervical anterior locking plate, it can obtain satisfatory clinical results for the treatment of cervical spondylotic myelopathy.

Treatment by Electro-Acupuncture and Massage in 172 Cases of Cervical Spondylopathy

The authors have treated 172 cases of cervical spondylopathy by electro-acupuncture and massage in recent 6 years. The results were satisfactory as reported in the following.

Treatment of 482 Cases of Cervical Spondylopathy by Combining Point-injection and Needle-warming via Moxibustion

From January 1993 to December 1996, we treated 482 cases of cervical spondylopathy with a combined method of point-injection and needle-warming via moxibustion. Except for the cases of sympathetic nerve type and spinal cord type, the combined method was superior to traction therapy in the control group and reported as follows.Clinical DataThe Criteria of Diagnosis and Curative Effect in TCM issued by the State Administrative Bureau of TCM and Pharmacy in 1994 was adopted for the enrollment of patients of cervical spondylopathy and the pathological typing. Only the patients who had completed the treatment and with complete records were collected for analysis.

THE NERVE-ROOT-TYPE CERVICAL SPONDYLOPATHY TREATED BY MASSOTHERAPY WITH AN OBSERVATION OF MICROCIRCULATION IN THE AFFECTED LIMB

In recent years, great attention has beenpaid to basic theories of microcirculation andits clinical applications both at home andabroad. It has been applied in hematopathy,angiocardiopathy and many other diseases,

The Therapeutic Effects of Triple Puncture and Routine Body Needling for Cervical Spondylosis

The author has treated 216 cases of cervicalspondylosis with triple puncture and routine bodyneedling since 1996, and made a comparison of thetherapeutic effects between the two methods. Areport follows.

Evaluation of Therapeutic Effect of Maneuver-Dominated Method in 30 Cases of Cervical Spondylotic Myelopathy

Thirty cases of cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM) were treated by a maneuver-dominated non-surgical therapy. Eighteen cases were recovered to grade E according to the criteria set by the American Spinal Injury Association. The effect was definite. Indications and contraindications of the maneuver were proposed on the basis of the pathogenesis of CSM and the principles of this manual method.