[Advancement in the repair and reconstruction of the injured spine and spinal cord].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the latest research and the therapeutic development in the injuries to the spine and spinal cord.


METHODS
Literature concerned was reviewed, combined with our own research and clinical experience, to summarize the trend of the researches and their clinical application in the treatment of the injured spine and spinal cord.


RESULTS
The posterior approach atlantoaxial stabilization technique changed the conventional wiring technique into the transarticular screw fixation to the plate and pedicle or the lateral mass screw fixation technique. The clinical application of the transoralpharyngeal atlantoaxial reduction plate fixation technique showed a good effect on the reduction of atlantoaxial dislocation. However, there were no unified criteria for selection of the surgical approach, fixation level, and fusion mode in the treatment of thoracolumbar spinal fractures. Under optimal conditions, both the anterior and the posterior approaches could achieve good clinical effects on decompression and spinal reconstruction. The single level fixation technique showed some advantages in treating certain types of thoracolumbar spinal fractures when compared with the traditional cross-sectional fixation. The endoscopy-assistant and image-guiding spinal intervention techniques were evolved in China during these years. In the treatment of the obstinate painful osteoporotic vertebral compressive fracture, percutaneous vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty achieved good results in the pain relief and spinal reconstruction. Numerous basic and clinical researches have given us a further understanding of the medical protection of acute spinal cord injury, and biological treatments have given us new ideas on neural reparation and regeneration. Cell transplantation and gene therapy have become the most promising treatment strategies in this field.


CONCLUSIONS
With the rapid development of spine surgery, the repair and reconstruction of the injured spine and spinal cord made a great stride in the recent years.
Li
Fobao
F
Department of Orthopedics, First Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, PR China.
Zheng
Zhaomin
Z