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For patients with foraminal soft-disk herniation, either MTPF or P-PECD, may be regarded as an alternative options to open surgery. Preoperative kyphotic SA (cut-off value 1.45°) seemed to be associated with poor outcome and this may be considered in selecting surgical methods.

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ObjectiveValproic acid (VPA), as known as histone deacetylase inhibitor, has neuroprotective effects. This study investigated the histological changes and functional recovery from spinal cord injury (SCI) associated with VPA treatment in a rat model.MethodsLocomotor function was assessed according to the Basso-Beattie-Bresnahan scale for 2 weeks in rats after receiving twice daily intraperitoneal injections of 200 mg/kg VPA or the equivalent volume of normal saline for 7 days following SCI. The injured spinal cord was then examined histologically, including quantification of cavitation.ResultsBasso-Beattie-Bresnahan scale scores in rats receiving VPA were significantly higher than in the saline group (p<0.05). The cavity volume in the VPA group was significantly reduced compared with the control (saline-injected) group (p<0.05). The level of histone acetylation recovered in the VPA group, while it was significantly decreased in the control rats (p<0.05). The macrophage level was significantly decreased in the VPA group (p<0.05).ConclusionVPA influences the restoration of hyperacetylation and reduction of the inflammatory reaction resulting from SCI, and is effective for histology and motor function recovery.

Clinical application of the cartilage formed by tissue engineering is not practical due to the failure to maintain long-term tissue structural integrity. One of the important factors for maintaining integrity is the biomaterial for a scaffold. The purpose of the current study was to evaluate the difference between poly-lactic glycolic acid (PLGA) and chitosan as scaffolds. Human auricular chondrocytes were used. Chondrocyte-scaffold complexes were implanted in nude mice and analyzed at 4, 8, 12, 16, and 24 weeks after implantation. The volume of chondrocyte-PLGA complexes decreased rapidly. The volume of chondrocyte-chitosan complexes was well maintained with a slow decrease rate. In histological findings, mature cartilage was formed by 4 weeks in the PLGA group. However, cartilage structure was hardly found after 16 weeks. In the chitosan group, mature cartilage was detected at 8 weeks and cartilage formation became more marked with time. The expression of type II collagen protein and mRNA became weaker with time in the PLGA group. However, the expression in the chitosan group was strong for the whole period. These results suggest that chitosan is a superior scaffold for cartilage tissue engineering in terms of the maintenance of structural integrity. It is expected that after some modification for more rapid chondrogenesis, chitosan scaffolds may become one of the most useful scaffolds for cartilage tissue engineering.