Column Teatment progress Report No.81: a Patient Who Works at a Physically-demanding job (With Good Post-treatment Progress)

November 27, 2023

The patient

A male patient in his 40s

Treated in March 2023. About 8 months have passed since the treatment.

Symptoms and treatments up to now

This patient had disc degeneration in the areas indicated by the red frame (L2/3, 3/4, 4/5, and 5/s discs).

In addition, intervertebral foraminal stenosis due to disc protrusion was observed in all four vertebral intervertebral spaces.

Progress before treatment

At around the age of 20, the patient suffered from a strained back. She was diagnosed with a herniated disc by an orthopedic surgeon, who recommended surgery, but in the end it was left untreated because it healed spontaneously.

In his 30s, he had one episode of a strained back.

In February 2023, he began to feel pain in his lower back again. He had been monitoring his condition, but after a while, since the pain did not subside, he decided to come to our clinic.

Treatment

Based on the imaging and physical examination, the Cellgel Method was performed on the intervertebral discs in L2/3, 3/4, 4/5, and 5/s.

Post-treatment progress

The table below shows the pain values of each area rated by the patient himself on a scale of 0 to 10.

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

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

After 1 week, the patient felt much better.

After 1 month, his back became painful after returning to work because he had to carry heavy loads at work.

After 3 months, his back only had a slight soreness.

After 6 months, his back was much better than before the treatment.

This patient works in the construction industry and often has to carry heavy loads at work.

After the treatment, he took a day off to take care of his health. We told him to be careful about avoiding doing twisting movements on his back at work.

Basically, unless there is a major impact such as a traffic accident, the medicine placed in the intervertebral disc will not leak, so even people with a physically-demanding work can be treated without any worry.

* 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