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 Hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in the adult as well as in the neonate, with limited options for treatment and significant dysfunctionality. AIM To investigate the safety and preliminary efficacy of allogeneic mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) in HIE patients. METHODS Patients who had HIE for at least 6 mo along with significant dysfunction and disability were included. All patients were given Wharton’s jelly-derived MSCs at 1 × 10 6 /kg intrathecally, intravenously, and intramuscularly twice a month for two months. The therapeutic effects and prognostic implications of MSCs were evaluated by multiple follow-ups. Functional independence measure (FIM), modified Ashworth, and Karnofsky scales were used to assess any side effects, neurological and cognitive functions, and overall outcomes. RESULTS The 8 subjects included in the study had a mean age of 33.25 ± 10.18 years. Mean HIE exposure and mean post-HIE durations were 45.63 ± 10.18 and 19.67 ± 29.04 mo, respectively. Mean FIM score was 18.38 ± 1.06, mean modified Ashworth score was 43.5 ± 4.63, and mean Karnofsky score was 20. For the first 24 h, 5 of the patients experienced a subfebrile state, accompanied by mild headaches due to intrathecally administration and muscle pain because of intramuscularly administration. Neurological and functional examinations, laboratory tests, electroencephalography, and magnetic resonance imaging were performed to assess safety of treatment. Mean FIM score increased by 20.88 ± 3.31 in the first month ( P = 0.027) and by 31.38 ± 14.69 in 12 mo ( P = 0.012). The rate of patients with an FIM score of 126 increased from 14.58% to 16.57% in the first month and 24.90% in 12 mo. CONCLUSION Multiple triple-route Wharton’s jelly-derived MSC administrations were found to be safe for HIE patients, indicating neurological and functional improvement. Based on the findings obtained here, further randomized and placebo research could be performed.

Parkinson hastalığı (PH) ikinci en yaygın ilerleyici nörodejeneratif olup, genetik vakalar azınlıkta olup, altta yatan etyopatofizyoloji hala bilinmemektedir. Halen, kanıtlanmış ve kesin bir tedavi mevcut değildir. Yeni terapötik stratejilerin taranması ve test edilmesi için kullanılabilecek güvenilir hayvan modelleri geliştirmek çok önemlidir, mesela, sadece semptomatik tedaviler geliştirmek yerine gerçek patojenik süreci hedefleyen kök hücre tedavileri gibi. Burada, PH’nin güncellenmiş in vivo ve in vitro modellerini özetledik ve bu modelleri kullanarak kök hücre temelli deneysel çalışmaları gözden geçirdik.