BACKGROUND Hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) is one of the leading causes of death and long-term neurological impairment in the pediatric population. Despite a limited number of treatments to cure HIE, stem cell therapies appear to be a potential treatment option for brain injury resulting from HIE. AIM To investigate the efficacy and safety of stem cell-based therapies in pediatric patients with HIE. METHODS The study inclusion criteria were determined as the presence of substantial deficit and disability caused by HIE. Wharton’s jelly-derived mesenchymal stem cells (WJ-MSCs) were intrathecally (IT), intramuscularly (IM), and intravenously administered to participants at a dose of 1 × 10 6 /kg for each administration route twice monthly for 2 mo. In different follow-up durations, the effect of WJ-MSCs administration on HIE, the quality of life, prognosis of patients, and side effects were investigated, and patients were evaluated for neurological, cognitive functions, and spasticity using the Wee Functional Independence Measure (Wee FIM) Scale and Modified Ashworth (MA) Scale. RESULTS For all participants ( n = 6), the mean duration of exposure to hypoxia was 39.17 + 18.82 min, the mean time interval after HIE was 21.83 ± 26.60 mo, the mean baseline Wee FIM scale score was 13.5 ± 0.55, and the mean baseline MA scale score was 35 ± 9.08. Three patients developed only early complications such as low-grade fever, mild headache associated with IT injection, and muscle pain associated with IM injection, all of which were transient and disappeared within 24 h. The treatment was evaluated to be safe and effective as demonstrated by magnetic resonance imaging examinations, electroencephalographies, laboratory tests, and neurological and functional scores of patients. Patients exhibited significant improvements in all neurological functions through a 12-mo follow-up. The mean Wee FIM scale score of participants increased from 13.5 ± 0.55 to 15.17 ± 1.6 points (mean ± SD) at 1 mo (z = - 1.826, P = 0.068) and to 23.5 ± 3.39 points at 12 mo (z = -2.207, P = 0.027) post-treatment. The percentage of patients who achieved an excellent functional improvement (Wee FIM scale total score = 126) increased from 10.71% (at baseline) to 12.03% at 1 mo and to 18.65% at 12 mo post-treatment. CONCLUSION Both the triple-route and multiple WJ-MSC implantations were safe and effective in pediatric patients with HIE with significant neurological and functional improvements. The results of this study support conducting further randomized, placebo-controlled studies on this treatment in the pediatric population.

AIM: To elucidate the characteristics of kyphoplasty in correlation with spinal metastasis. MATERIAL and METHODS: Data of patients treated by kyphoplasty between January 2017 and December 2019 were reviewed retrospectively. Preoperative prophylactic antibiotics and low-molecular-weight heparin injections were performed. Postoperative follow-up was conducted at least 24 hours after the procedure. All patients were treated under sedoanalgesia. Bone biopsies were collected from all patients. RESULTS: One hundred ninety-nine vertebra fractures were treated in 130 patients. The mean age of the patients was 65.27 ± 8.79 years (18-90 years) and 66 patients were male (50.7%). Forty-five patients had osteoporosis, six patients showed malignancy, and osteomyelitis was found in three patients, while the others' presentations were secondary to trauma. Most commonly, the L1 (n=59), Th12 (n=45), and L2 (n=34) levels were found to develop vertebral fractures. Forty patients had multiple levels of vertebral fracture, with a higher rate of osteoporosis (n=24; 60%). Three patients showed undiagnosed oncologic disease with an initial diagnosis of acute fracture following minor trauma, while the primary oncologic diagnosis was established by bone biopsy taken during the routine procedure in each procedure (e.g., plasmacytoma, lymphoma, adenocarcinoma of the lung). None of the patients developed an infection due to kyphoplasty, permanent neuromotor deficit, or mortality. The mean postoperative hospital length of stay was 1.6 days. CONCLUSION: Bone biopsy should be performed to diagnose early spinal metastases. Although an accurate bone biopsy may not be obtained from some patients, particularly from those with osteoporosis, performing bone biopsy during the procedure does not cause time loss or any other complications, and protects the surgeon from possible medicolegal problems.

AIM:To introduce a traumatic brain injury (TBI) patient who underwent stem cell transplantation (SCT) in order to minimize the remaining injury deficiencies. MATERIAL and METHODS:This study included a 29 years old male who had TBI resulting from a vehicle accident which took place one and a half years ago. The participant received six doses of intrathecal, intramuscular, and intravenous transplantation of Wharton's jellv-derived mesenchymal stem cells (WJ-MSCs) at a goal dose of 1xl0 6 / kg respectively for each route of administration for six months. RESULTS:No important negative effects were reported. The patients' speech, cognitive, memory and fine motor skills were improved. The efficacy of treatment with SCT was assessed with cranial magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), computed tomography (CT) screening, and electroencephalography (EEG). CONCLUSION:SCT can have a promising future as a medical approach in recurrent TBI.

Background: The aim of this study was to evaluate the correlation between serum superoxide dismutase (SOD) enzyme levels and lumbar degenerative spinal diseases (LDSD).Materials and Methods: Ninety-four patients with LDSD and 64 patients without LDSD were investigated. Human SOD ELISA kits were used to measure the amount of enzymes in the samples. Serum SOD enzyme levels were determined by Student-t and Mann Whitney-U tests to determine differences between groups.Results: The patient group was classified according to the characteristics of the disease, clinical symptoms, Visual Analog Scale (VAS) values, and Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) scores. Along with these parameters, serum SOD levels were evaluated statistically. There was no statistically significant difference in serum SOD levels in both groups. However, serum SOD levels were relatively lower in the patient group (p>0.05).Conclusions: Our study could supply objective value for future researchers investigating specific lumbar diseases, should they attempt to find a serum biomarker for the disease. More studies with an increasing number of patients are needed to support the results of our study. Doing so may offer more specific insights on the mechanisms of LDSD and its features, which could contribute to the literature.

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