Objective Unilateral biportal endoscopic (UBE) spine surgery is a minimally invasive technique that uses continuous irrigation to improve visualization and control bleeding. Effective water pressure management is crucial for patient safety, particularly at the cervical and thoracic levels where spinal cord injury risk is higher. However, real-time pressure monitoring remains underexplored. This study evaluates the impact of real-time water pressure monitoring on safety during UBE surgery.
Methods A prospective study was conducted involving 20 patients undergoing UBE lumbar spine surgery. Patients were divided into 2 groups based on the irrigation system: gravity-based or infusion pump. Real-time water pressure was monitored using a digital sensor throughout surgery. Each procedure was categorized into 3 phases: phase I, working space preparation; phase II, laminectomy; phase III, flavectomy, dura exposure, and discectomy. Data was analyzed according to the type of irrigation system and surgical phase.
Results The mean water pressure in the surgical field during UBE spine surgery was 17.98± 8.07 mmHg, with no significant differences between surgical phases. However, the infusion pump system maintained significantly lower mean pressure (12.10±3.51 mmHg) compared to the gravity-based system (23.86±6.97 mmHg, p=0.001). The infusion pump system consistently maintained a significantly lower mean water pressure compared to the gravity-based system.
Conclusion Real-time water pressure monitoring during UBE surgery enhances safety by enabling improved control of pressure within the surgical field. Both the gravity-based and infusion pump systems safely maintained working space pressure, with the pump system showing significantly lower pressure levels.
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Objective Neuropathic pain is a common secondary complication of spinal cord injury (SCI). N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor activation is critical for hypersensitivity in neuropathic pain. This activation requires the binding of both glutamate and the D-serine co-agonist to the NMDA glycine site. We evaluated the effects of D-serine on neuropathic pain after SCI and explored the underlying molecular mechanisms.
Methods Anesthetized rats underwent T9 spinal cord contusion (130 kdyn). D-serine (500 and 1,000 mg/kg) and MK-801 hydrogen maleate (2.0 mg/kg) were injected daily for 2 weeks, starting the day after SCI. Functional outcomes were assessed according to the Basso, Beattie, and Bresnahan scale, while histological outcomes were evaluated based on lesion volume and spared tissue area. Mechanical allodynia and thermal hyperalgesia were evaluated by measuring the withdrawal threshold of a von Frey filament and hot/cold plate latency. Western blotting was performed to determine the expression levels of Trpv1, Nav1.9, calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), and β-actin in damaged tissue.
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Conclusion D-serine increases neuropathic pain after traumatic SCI by mediating the NMDA receptor. NMDA receptor antagonists alleviate neuropathic pain after traumatic SCI.
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