Column Treatment Progress Report No. 42: A Patient with Intermittent Claudication
June 13, 2023
The patient
A male patient in his 80s
Treated in March 2024. Approximately 12 months have passed since treatment.
Symptoms and treatments to date
Spinal canal stenosis was observed at L3/4 (indicated by the red frame).
Spinal canal stenosis was also observed at L2/3; however, treatment was not suitable at this level due to a significant loss of disc height.
Anterolisthesis was also observed at L4.
Pre-treatment medical history and treatments to date
5 years ago: Underwent surgery for spinal canal stenosis.
May 2022: Was involved in a collision with a bicycle and hospitalized for one month as a result. He became temporarily unable to walk following this incident.
He subsequently visited our clinic to receive treatment.
Treatment
The Cellgel Method was performed at three intervertebral disc levels: L3/4, L4/5, and L5/S1.
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 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1 week after treatment | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1 month after treatment | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 3 months after treatment | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
The following is feedback from the patient when contacted for follow-up.
1 week after treatment: Comfortable while sitting, but pain occurred during walking.
1 month after treatment: Able to walk with intermittent rest; began water walking exercises.
3 months after treatment: Mild knee pain remained, but no issues related to the lower back.
Prior to treatment, this patient exhibited intermittent claudication during walking.
As the patient continues rehabilitation, including aquatic walking, further improvement in walking ability is anticipated as muscle strength and endurance recover.
* 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 Cellgel 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
