ObjectiveTo develop a smart orthosis personalized management system for the treatment of patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) and to evaluate the feasibility and efficiency through clinical preliminary applications.MethodsThe smart orthosis personalized management system consists of a wireless force monitor, a WeChat Mini Program, a cloud-based storage system, and a website backstage management system. Twenty-two patients with AIS who underwent orthosis treatment and met the selection criteria between March 2020 and December 2020 were enrolled. The follow-up time was 4 months. The parameters used to evaluate patients’ compliance were as follows (back and lumbar): baseline force value, measured force value, force compliance (measured force value/baseline force value×100%), measured wearing time (wearing time of force value was more than 0 N), and time compliance (measured wearing time/prescribed wearing time×100%), in which the prescribed wearing time was 23 hours/day. The baseline force values were measured at initiation, while the measured force value, measured wearing time, force compliance, and time compliance were measured during follow-up. The differences of these parameters between back and lumbar, and the differences among these parameters at 1, 2, 3, and 4 months after orthosis wearing were analyzed.ResultsThe average measured force value of 22 patients (back and lumbar) was (0.83±0.34) N, the average force compliance was 68.5%±17.9%, the average measured wearing time was (15.4±1.7) hours, and the average time compliance was 66.9%±7.7%. The baseline force value and measured force value of back were significantly higher than those of lumbar (P<0.05); the measured wearing time, force compliance, and time compliance between back and lumbar showed no significant difference (P>0.05). The measured force value, measured wearing time, force compliance, and time compliance at 1 month after wearing were significantly lower than those at 2, 3, and 4 months after orthosis wearing (P<0.05), no significant difference was found among 2, 3, and 4 months after orthosis wearing (P>0.05). At different time points after wearing, the measured force value of back were significantly higher than that of lumbar (P<0.05), while there was no significant difference between back and lumbar on the other parameters (P>0.05).ConclusionThe smart orthosis personalized management system has high feasibility to treat AIS, and can improve the compliance of such patients with orthosis wearing.
Intervertebral disc degeneration is a multifactorial pathological process which is one of the leading causes of disability worldwide. The main pathological changes of intervertebral disc degeneration are the degradation of extracellular matrix, apoptosis, autophagy, senescence and inflammation. Dysregulation of microRNAs has been implicated in various pathologies, including various degenerative diseases such as disc degeneration. This article reviews the research status of microRNA in degenerative disc pathology, with emphasis on the biological mechanisms and potential therapeutic prospects of microRNA in extracellular matrix degradation, apoptosis, inflammation, and cartilage endplate degeneration.
Degenerative disc disease is a prevalent chronic disease that orthopaedic surgeons currently face as a difficulty. Tissue engineering represents the most promising possible therapeutic strategy for disc repair and regeneration. Surgery is the primary treatment for degenerative disc disease, but there are still inherent limits in practical practice. Electrospinning technique is a method for manufacturing nanoscale fibers with varied mechanical properties, porosity, and orientation, which can imitate the structural qualities and mechanical properties of natural intervertebral discs. Therefore, electrospinning materials can be utilized for disc regeneration and replacement. This article reviews recent advancements in disc tissue engineering and electrostatically spun nanomaterials typically utilized for the fabrication of disc scaffolds, as well as present and future techniques that may enhance the performance of electrostatically spun fibers.