Researcher

Dr Xiaolong Chen

Biography

Dr. Chen received his M.D. in medicine from the Capital Medical University, Beijing, China, in 2011. He completed his doctoral training in the Department of Orthopaedic at Beijing Chao-Yang Hospital (in 2016, China). From 2013 to 2016, Dr. Chen worked at the Beijing Chao-Yang Hospital as a Spine Surgeon. In 2018, he joined Spine Labs of UNSW for doctoral training. Dr Chen has been awarded many international grants, including The International...view more

Dr. Chen received his M.D. in medicine from the Capital Medical University, Beijing, China, in 2011. He completed his doctoral training in the Department of Orthopaedic at Beijing Chao-Yang Hospital (in 2016, China). From 2013 to 2016, Dr. Chen worked at the Beijing Chao-Yang Hospital as a Spine Surgeon. In 2018, he joined Spine Labs of UNSW for doctoral training. Dr Chen has been awarded many international grants, including The International Society for the Study of the Lumbar Spine (ISSLS) traveling fellowship award (clinical fellow at Spine Service, UNSW, Australia), AOSpine clinical research award, NASS traveling fellowship award (fellow at Keck Hospital, USC, USA), International ISSLS Young Investigator Travel Grant, etc. Dr Chen’s previous work focused on the studies on big data and databases, biomechanical and biological changes, and clinical related research in degenerative spine diseases. 


My Grants

2019 – 2020: AOSpine Australasia Research Grand, CHF 5,000

2019 International ISSLS Young Investigator Travel Grant, US$ 1,000

2018 – 2018: ISSLS travelling fellowship, US$ 5,000

2016 – 2017: AOSpine China Research Grand, CHF 5,000

2015 – 2016: NASS travelling fellowship, US$ 5,000

National Natural Science Foundation of China (2017 – 2020: RMB 100,000; 2015 –2018: RMB 100,000; 2009 – 2011: RMB 50,000)

Beijing Municipal Science and Technology Project (2013: RMB 50,000; 2010: RMB 50,000)


My Qualifications

published Articles

  1. XL Chen, U Chamoli, H Fogel, AD Diwan. Clinicians’ perceptions around discectomy surgery for lumbar disc herniation: a survey of orthopaedic and neurosurgeons in Australia and New Zealand. Archives of Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgery, 2021. doi: 10.1007/s00402-021-04019-3
  2. XL Chen, HS Sandhu, JV Castillo, AD Diwan. The association between pain scores and disc height change following discectomy surgery in lumbar disc herniation patients: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Eur Spine J. 2021. doi: 10.1007/s00586-021-06891-4
  3. XL Chen, PW Hodges, G James, AD Diwan. Do markers of inflammation and/or muscle regeneration in lumbar multifidus muscle and fat differ between individuals with good or poor outcome following microdiscectomy for lumbar disc herniation? Spine, 2021; 46(10):678-686. doi: 10.1097/BRS.0000000000003863
  4. XL Chen, FW Koremans, A Das, AD Diwan. Changes in back pain scores after bariatric surgery in obese patients: A systematic review and meta-analysis. J Clin Med, 2021; 10(7):1443. doi: 10.3390/jcm10071443.
  5. G James, XL Chen, AD Diwan, PW Hodges. Fat infiltration in the multifidus muscle is related to inflammatory cytokine expression in the muscle and epidural adipose tissue in individuals undergoing surgery for intervertebral disc herniation. Eur Spine J, 2021. 30(4):837-845. doi: 10.1007/s00586-020-06514-4
  6. Belavy DL, Diwan AD, Ford JJ, Miller CT, Hahne AJ, Mundell N, Tagliaferri SD, Bowe S, Pedder H, Saueressig T, Zhao XH, Chen XL, Balasundaram AP, Arora NK, Owen PJ. Network meta-analysis for comparative effectiveness of treatments for chronic low back pain disorders: systematic review protocol. BMJ Open 2021. 11(11): e057112. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2021-057112.
  7. HB Lu, XL Chen. The association between changes in multifidus muscle morphology and back pain scores following different discectomy surgeries for lumbar disc herniation: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Eur Spine J, 2022, doi: 10.1007/s00586-022-07181-3.
  8. XL Chen, S Sima, J Kuan, AD Diwan. Radiographic evaluation of lumbar intervertebral disc height index: an intra and inter-rater agreement and reliability study. Journal of Clinical Neuroscience, 2022, accepted
  9. Belavy DL, Tagliaferri SD, Buntine PB, Saueressig T, Ehrenbrusthoff K, Chen XL, Diwan AD, Miller CT, Owen PJ. Interventions for optimising guideline-adherent surgery in low back pain: systematic review and meta-analysis of RCTs. ESJ, 2022, accepted
  10. XL Chen, U Chamoli, JV Castillo, VAS Ramakrishna, AD Diwan. Complication rates of different discectomy techniques for symptomatic lumbar disc herniation: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Eur Spine J, 2020. doi: 10.1007/s00586-020-06389-5.
  11. HW Zhang, L Guan, Y Hai, YZ Liu, HT Ding, XL Chen. Multi-shot echo-planar diffusion tensor imaging in cervical spondylotic myelopathy. The bone & joint journal, 2020, 102-B (9), p.1210-1218. doi: 10.1302/0301-620X.102B9.BJJ-2020-0468.R1.
  12. Y Liu, YZ Liu, Y Hai, T Liu, L Guan, XL Chen, Wang YS. Multifidus muscle fatty infiltration as an index of dysfunction in patients with single-segment degenerative lumbar spinal stenosis: A case-control study based on propensity score matching. Journal of clinical neuroscience, 2020, 75, p.139-148. doi: 10.1016/j.jocn.2020.03.001
  13. XL Chen, U Chamoli, S Lapkin, JV Castillo, AD Diwan. Complication rates of different discectomy techniques for the treatment of lumbar disc herniation: a network meta-analysis. Eur Spine J, 2019, 28:2588-2601. doi: 10.1007/s00586-019-06142-7 
  14. Y Liu, YZ Liu, Y Hai, T Liu, L Guan, XL Chen. Fat Infiltration in the Multifidus Muscle as a Predictor of Prognosis After Decompression and Fusion in Patients with Single-Segment Degenerative Lumbar Spinal Stenosis: An Ambispective Cohort Study Based on Propensity Score Matching. World neurosurgery, 2019, 128, p.e989-e1001. doi: 10.1016/j.wneu.2019.05.055
  15. XL Chen, L Guan, Y Hai, XD Ma, L He, GZ Wang, C Yuan, H Guo. High-resolution diffusion tensor imaging in cervical spondylotic myelopathy: a preliminary follow-up study. NMR in biomedicine, 2017-10, Vol.30 (10), p.e3769-n/a.
  16. XL Chen, Y Hai, et al. Topping-off surgery versus double-segment fusion for treatment of lumbar degenerative disease with mid-long-term follow-up. Zhonghua yi xue za zhi. 2017, 97(11):857-863. (CHINESE)
  17. JW Liu, Y Hai, N Kang, XL Chen, YP Zhang. Risk factors and preventative measures of early and persistent dysphagia after anterior cervical spine surgery: a systematic review. European spine journal, 2017, Vol.27 (6), p.1209-1218.
  18. XL Chen, Y Hai, L Guan, et al. Interspinous dynamic stabilization adjacent to single-level fusion versus double-segment fusion for treatment of lumbar degenerative disease with a minimum follow-up of 3 years. International Orthopedics, 2016, 40(6):1275-1283.
  19. AX Pan, Y Hai, JC Yang, LJ Zhou, XL Chen, H Guo. Adjacent segment degeneration after lumbar spinal fusion compared with motion-preservation procedures: a meta-analysis. Eur Spine. 2016, 25(5): 1522-32.
  20. WL Wang, L Guan, Y Hai, YZ Liu, XL Chen. Anterior or posterior approaches for cervical ossification of posterior longitudinal ligament: a mid-term follow-up. Chinese Journal of Spine and Spinal Cord. 2016, 26(7): 577-584. 
  21. L Guan, WL Wang, Y Hai, YZ Liu, XL Chen.  Clinical outcome of mid-term follow-up of anterior cervical non-fusion surgery versus anterior cervical discectomy and fusion for cervical spondylosis. National Medical Journal of China. 2016, 96(25): 1991-1996. 
  22. AX Pan, Y Hal, JC Yang, XL Chen, W Yuan, H Guo. Radiographic study of Coflex interspinous device for lumbar spinal stenosis. Chinese Journal of Surgery. 2016, 7: 513-517.  
  23. YS Zhang, Y HAI, XL Chen, et al. Clinical application of etanercept in reducing C-reactive protein in patients with ankylosing spondylitis kyphosis in preoperative period. The Orthopedic Journal of China. 2016, 24(19): 1811-1814.       
  24. XL Chen, Y Hai, L Guan, et al. Anterior cervical discectomy and fusion may be more effective than anterior cervical corpectomy and fusion for the treatment of cervical spondylotic myelopathy. BMC Musculoskelecal Disorders. 2015, 161: 29.
  25. XL Chen, Y Hai, JC Yang, et al. Efficacy of Topping-off Procedure for the prevention of Adjacent Segment Degenerative of the Lumbar Spine: A Radiographic Study. Chinese Journal of Spine and Spinal Cord. 2015, 25(1): 6-12. 
  26. XL Chen, Y Hai, L Guan, et al. Application of finite element analysis in a biomechanical study on artificial lumbar disc. 2015, 4(4): 327-331. 
  27. AX Pan, Y Hai, XL Chen, et al. Research status of proximal junctional kyphosis after scoliosis surgery. Chinese Journal of Bone Tumor and Bone Disease. 2015, 8: 668-672.
  28. YZ Liu, Y Hai, L Guan, JC Yang, LJ Zhou, XL Chen, AX Pan, WL Wang. Effect of surgical treatment of degenerative lumbar spondylolisthesis on pelvic parameter and sagittal balance of the pelvis-spine complex in the elderly. Chinese Journal of Geriatrics. 2015, 34(11): 1182-1185. 
  29. L Guan, XL Chen, Y Hai, YZ Liu, Wang Wen-long. A comparison of cervical disc arthroplasty versus dynamic cervical implant in the treatment of cervical spondylopathy: a cervical and radiological study. Chinese Journal of Bone Tumor and Bone Disease. 2015, 8: 610-616. 
  30. AX Pan, XL Chen, Y Hai. Investigation and Analysis of the Cognition and Practice of Evidence-base Medicine among Orthopedists in Beijing. Chinese Medical Record. 2014, 8: 72-76.
  31. Y Hai, XL Chen. The application of bilingual teaching mode in the clinical teaching of orthopedics department. Chinese Medical Record. 2014, 9: 65-67. 
  32. XL Chen, Y Hai, Q Zhang, et al. Clincal outcomes of total lumbar disc replacement with Active-L versus lumbar fusion. Chinese Bone and Joint Surgery. 2012, 5(1): 3-10. 
  33. XL Chen, Y Hai. Wnts signal expression and mechanism of bone metabolism of spinal scoliosis in adolescent. Chinese Bone and Joint Surgery. 2011, 4(1): 68-74.
  34. SB Lu, Y Hai, QY Wang, QJ Su, N Kang, L Zang, XL Meng, Y Wang, LJ Zhou, XL Chen. Relationship between range of motion and adjacent segment degeneration after lumbar total disc replacement. Journal of Spinal Surgery. 2010, 6: 335-338. 

My Research Activities

Dr. Xiaolong Chen is an early-stage investigator in translational research of degenerative spine diseases. Dr Chen focuses on the efficacy and complications following different surgeries for degenerative spine diseases via big data and database (network meta-analysis, meta-analysis, and systematic review), biomechanical, radiological, and clinical studies.

Dr. Chen’s PhD thesis entitled “Studies in Failures of Discectomies” presents series of studies (e.g., big data and database, biomechanical, biological, radiological, and clinical studies) investigating a hierarchy of complication rates following different discectomy techniques, and then explores factors like surgical technique variations, altered tissue molecular markers, and disc height measurements in the context of discectomy. The findings revealed that a plethora of techniques used for measuring disc height index were never subjected to the proper evaluation.

Based on his PhD study, Dr. Chen and his team developed a novel nucleus replacement device (https://www.kunovus.com) for treating the patients with lumbar disc herniation. His ability to evaluate an elastomeric disc spacer biomechanically and to conduct an early clinical trial was curtailed due to the pandemic during the PhD period. However, he is pursuing that as his post-doctoral work at Kunovus Technologies for the biomechanical and biocompatibility testing and clinical trial of the novel nucleus device.

Dr. Chen collaborates some international research institutions for many projects.

  1. Complications following different surgeries for different spine degenerative diseases (collaborating with Dr Ashsih Diwan, UNSW)
  2. Multi-centre randomised controlled trial on using a novel nucleus replacement device for treating the patients with lumbar disc herniation (collaborating with Dr Ashsih Diwan, UNSW)
  3. Ultrasound guidance for spinal injections (Dr Liao Wu, UNSW, submitted the application for Health Services Research Grants)
  4. Futuristic spinal implants for spine degenerative disease (Dr Ashsih Diwan, Dr Gangadhara Prusty, Dr Vivek Ramakrishna, School of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, UNSW)
  5. Role of microbiome in chronic back pain and neck pain (Dr Ashsih Diwan, Dr Abhirup Das, UNSW)
  6. Treatment for chronic low back disorders (Dr Ashsih Diwan, UNSW and Dr Daniel L. Belavy, Deakin University)
  7. Psychological factors influencing the onset, maintenance, and treatment of chronic pain in back pain populations (Dr Zorica Buser, USC)
  8. ERAS in spine surgery (Dr Shibao Lu, China)
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Location

Medicine & Health

Contact

+61 414825498

ORCID as entered in ROS

orcid_icon https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2083-0549

UNSW Sydney NSW 2052 Australia Telephone +61 2 93851000
Authorised by Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research)
UNSW CRICOS Provider Code: 00098G ABN: 57 195 873 179

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