Treatment Case Studies
& Blog

May 22, 2024

The patient:

A male patient in his 70s

The patient’s medical history to date

He had been suffering from lower back pain for some time, but it got worse about 4 or 5 years ago.

It got worse even more this year. He received treatment such as block injections, but there was no improvement, so he came to our hospital for treatment.

Symptoms before treatment

・Pain levels before treatment

Lower backLower limbsNumbnessButtocks
Pain level9893

No pain at all is rated as 0, and the maximum possible pain is rated as 10.

Main pain area: lower back

Forward bending: aggravation of lower back pain

Backward bending: aggravation of lower back pain

Lasegue test: positive on both sides, with stronger numbness on the right side.

Pressure point: near the spinous process of L3, 4 and 5.



Additional explanations on our clinic’s medical examination

・Daily activities

It feels worse when standing and walking.

Intermittent claudication is present, several minutes of rest are needed to resume walk.

Imaging and findings

  • L1/2,2/3,3/4,4/5,5/s – degeneration of the intervertebral discs
  • L2/3,3/4,4/5 – spinal canal stenosis

The above findings were also observed on the imaging.

L2/3, 3/4, 4/5 – spinal canal stenosis was observed, and there is a high possibility that this was the cause of the symptoms in the lower back and legs.

Treatment

After consulting with the patient, the Cellgel method was performed on L2/3, 3/4, and 4/5.

The treatment was performed by Dr. Kono.

This is an image of the patient’s back after the Discogel injection.

The treatment took about 15 minutes.

After resting in the recovery room, the patient was able to walk home by himself.

Our clinic’s treatment method

Additional information about the Cellgel method we have introduced in this column.

Cost of the Cellgel method: 1,320,000 yen per area (including tax) to 1,760,000 yen per 5 areas (including tax)

Risks and side effects of the Cellgel method: Transient pain may occur after treatment. Nerve damage is not a zero possibility due to the very nature of the treatment, but there have been no reports of damage so far in either report cases or publications. There is a very small possibility of allergic reactions to local anesthetics. 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 retracts the surrounding tissues. In addition, if the disc is almost completely collapsed, treatment may be difficult. The doctor hold a consultation with you during your visit to the clinic to determine the best treatment option for your 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