Column Treatment Progress Report No.138: a Patient Who Actively Engaged in Rehabilitation Even After Treatment

October 30, 2024

The patient

A male patient in his 60s

Treated in October 2023, about 12 months have passed since treatment.

Symptoms and treatments

This patient had spinal canal stenosis at the location indicated by the red frame (L3/4).

There was also disc degeneration from L1/2 to 5/s.

Pre-treatment medical history and treatments

In his 30s, he was hospitalized for a herniated disc. After that, he began to feel a tightness in his left leg when he lifted heavy objects.

In April 2024, he began to feel pain again in his left leg when he lifted heavy objects. He took painkillers and observed the evolution, but after a few days he could no longer walk normally.

He visited a local orthopedic clinic where he was diagnosed with lumbar osteoarthritis. He was advised to have surgery, but he did not have a good feeling about it, so he decided to undergo conservative treatment with block injections and rehabilitation.

He later found out about our clinic and came to see us for treatment.

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.

The following is feedback from the patient when contacted for follow-up.

After one week, the patient felt cramps in his legs for a few days after the treatment.

After one month, the patient had pain in his right leg. He was attending rehabilitation once a week.

After 3 months, the cramps had disappeared, but he still felt a little numbness in his legs.

After 6 months, the patient was happy to see that the treatment had been more effective than he had expected. He plans to continue with his rehabilitation.

In this case, since there were no people around the patient who had really been successfully treated by surgery, he decided to go with the Cellgel Method instead.

The patient’s pain level has been steadily decreasing, and he has been actively working on his rehabilitation.

Before treatment, he could only walk about 100 meters, but now he has recovered to the point where he can walk about 5,000 to 6,000 steps. We believe that the results are due to the patient’s own efforts, as well as the treatment’s effectiveness. We hope that he will continue his efforts without overdoing it.

* It takes approximately 3 weeks to 3 months to see the full effects of the treatment.

* Effects in the treatment may vary according to individual differences. Please be aware that there is a possibility that the exact same effects may not be replicated every time.

Our clinic’s treatment method

Here is some additional information about the Cellgel method that we have presented here.

Cost of the Cellgel method: 1,320,000 yen per site (including tax) to 1,760,000 yen for 5 sites (including tax)

Cost for this patient’s case: Cellgel performed in 2 areas = 1,430,000 yen (including tax)

Risks and side effects of the Cellgel method: Transient pain may occur after treatment. Due to the very nature of the treatment, the possibility of nerve damage is not zero, but so far there have been no reports of damage in either reported cases or publications. There is a very small possibility of allergic reactions to the local anesthetic. Symptoms may temporarily worsen during the first week or two after treatment. This is believed to be due to the decompression effect of the implant, which pulls in the surrounding tissues. Also, if the disc is almost completely worn out, it may not be possible to treat it. The doctor will consult with you during your visit to determine the best treatment option for your condition.

For more detailed information, please refer to the following links:

Column page explaining the Cellgel method in an easy-to-understand manner

Page of the Cellgel procedure at our clinic

This article was written by the administrative Director of our clinic