Objective To describe the up-to-date development in spine and spine cord injuries. Methods To summarize the cl inical and basic research on spine and spine cord injuries were summarized by reviewing papers and combining them with our own experience. Results The occi pitocervical and atlantoaxial fusions by the pedicle or the lateral mass screw were widely used to treat the upper cervical fractures. The anterior cervical plate, posterior pedicle or lateral mass screw fixation techniques were used in treatment of lower cervical fractures. The cl inical appl ication of artificial cervical disc replacement showed the good biomechanical results in treatment of serious cervical disc diseases. However, there were no unified criteria for selection of the surgical approach, fixation level, and fusion model in the treatment of thoracolumbar spine fractures. Lumbar posterior dynamic fixation and artificial disc replacement for treatment of degenerative lumbar disc diseases provided the biomechanical stabil ization and reduced the morbidity of adjacent segment diseases, but there was lack of long-term follow-up results. The basic research in spine cord injuries, especially in apoptotic signal pathway, made great progress. The biological treatment including cell transplantation and gene therapy provided the sol id theoretical foundation for cl inical appl ication. Conclusion The reparative and reconstructive development in spine and spine cord injuries has made great progress in recent years.
Objective To summarize the research progress of stem cell transplantation in treating spinal cord injury (SCI) at different stages based on the pathophysiological mechanism of SCI. Methods The relevant research literature at home and abroad was extensively reviewed to explore the impact of transplantation timing on the effectiveness of stem cell transplantation in treating SCI. Results Researchers performed different types of stem cell transplantation for subjects at different stages of SCI through different transplantation approaches. Clinical trials have proved the safety and feasibility of stem cell transplantation at acute, subacute, and chronic stages, which can alleviate inflammation at the injured site and restore the function of the damaged nerve cells. But the reliable clinical trials comparing the effectiveness of stem cell transplantation at different stages of SCI are still lacking. Conclusion Stem cell transplantation has a good prospect in treating SCI. In the future, the multi-center, large sample randomized controlled clinical trials are needed, with a focus on the long-term effectiveness of stem cell transplantation.