Column Treatment Progress Report No. 30: A Patient Recovering from Recurrent Pain and Numbness
May 10, 2023
The patient
A female patient in her 70s.
Treated in December 2022. Approximately 5 months have passed since treatment.
Symptoms and treatments to date
This patient exhibited Retrolisthesis (posterior slippage of the vertebra) at the disc level indicated by the red frame (L4/5 disc). Additionally, Degenerative Disc Disease and Foraminal Stenosis were noted at L1/2, L2/3, L3/4, and L4/5.
Pre-treatment medical history and treatments to date
The patient had been experiencing recurring pain and numbness in cycles of approximately four years since around 2013.
Around August 2022, after sitting still in an air-conditioned environment, she got cold and began to feel numbness in her buttocks, posterior thigh, calf, and sole of the foot.
She visited an orthopedic clinic and was diagnosed with Spinal Stenosis and Spondylolisthesis.
Medication improved the pain, but the same symptoms returned one month later, leading her to seek treatment at our clinic.
Treatment
The Cellgel Method was performed on a total of four intervertebral discs: L1/2, L2/3, L3/4, and L4/5.
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 | 8 | 8 | 9 |
| 1 week after treatment | 6 | 8 | 2 | 9 |
| 1 month after treatment | 5 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
| 3 months after treatment | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
The following is feedback from the patient when contacted for follow-up.
1 Week Post-Treatment: Felt pain in the left knee.
1 Month Post-Treatment: Felt pain in the buttocks to the back of the thigh after walking a slightly long distance.
3 Months Post-Treatment: Symptoms no longer appear when walking for about 20 minutes. Symptoms did worsen after a light hike.
The patient appears to be pain-free at a daily life level. While enjoying a hobby like hiking is excellent, her symptoms worsened after a light hike. We will continue the follow up to ensure she can recover to the point of comfortably enjoying her different hobbies, such as hiking.
* 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
