Column Treatment Progress Report No.181: A Patient Who Was Treated With Endoscopic Surgery
September 17, 2025
The patient
A male patient in his 70s
Treated in March 2024. Approximately 12 months have passed since treatment.
Symptoms and treatments to date
Degenerative changes at L4/5 (red-marked area on imaging).
Anterolisthesis of the L4 vertebra was observed on the imaging.
Pre-treatment medical history and treatments to date
Symptoms of numbness from lower back to right leg began 11 years ago, resulting in some walking difficulties.
The patient underwent endoscopic surgery the following year. Immediate postoperative condition was good.
Around summer 2023, new pain appeared around the spine.
By winter, severe low back pain causing walking difficulties.
He consulted a local orthopedic clinic, and was treated with medication as a temporary measure, with only partial relief.
The patient visited our clinic seeking to improve her symptoms.
Post-treatment progress
The table below shows the results of the patient’s own evaluation of the pain in each body site on a scale of 0 to 10.
No pain at all is rated as 0 and 10 as the maximum possible pain.
| Lower back | Lower limbs | Numbness | Buttocks | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Before treatment | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 |
| 1 week after treatment | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 1 month after treatment | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 3 months after treatment | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 6 months after treatment | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
The following is feedback from the patient when contacted for follow-up.
1 week: Overall symptoms have eased, slight numbness remaining in right calf.
1 month: Occasionally feeling heaviness in the lower back.
3 months: Onset of pain when moving.
6 months: Pain disappeared around 4 months post-treatment.
This patient had previously undergone decompression surgery.
The symptoms were thought to have been caused mainly by foraminal stenosis due to spondylolisthesis in L4.
Going forward, gradual reintroduction of physical exercises and building physical strength will be important.
Note:
* Results vary among individuals. Please be aware that identical outcomes cannot be guaranteed.
* It generally takes 3 weeks to 3 months for treatment effects to appear.
Our Treatment Method
Supplementary Information on the Cellgel Method
Cost of the Cergel Method:
¥1,320,000 / 1 site (tax included)
to ¥1,760,000 / 5 sites (tax included)
Risks and Side Effects:
Temporary pain may occur after treatment.
Nerve injury is theoretically possible due to the nature of the procedure, but no such cases have been reported in our own experience or in published studies.
Extremely rare risk of allergic reaction to local anesthetic.
Symptoms may temporarily worsen for 1–2 weeks after treatment, believed to be due to decompression effects of the implant pulling on surrounding tissue.
If the disc is severely collapsed or nearly gone, treatment may not be possible.
The physician will discuss suitable treatment options with each patient depending on their condition.
For more detailed information, please refer to the following links:
Blog page explaining the Cellgel Method in an easy-to-understand manner
The Cellgel Method on our treatment methods page
This article was written by the administrative Director of our clinic
