Column Treatment Case Report No. 201｜ ILC International Lumbago Clinic (Tokyo Clinic)
April 14, 2025
The patient
A male patient in his 70s.
The patient’s medical history to date
When the patient was younger, he experienced episodes of strained back 2 or 3 times. Since then, he has been suffering from chronic back pain.
He visited an orthopedic surgeon several times, but received only conservative treatment such as medication and rehabilitation.
The patient came to our clinic to improve his symptoms.
Symptoms before treatment
・Pain levels before treatment
| Lower back | Lower limbs | Numbness | Buttocks | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pain level | 5 | 9 | 3 | 2 |
No pain at all is rated as 0, and the maximum possible pain is rated as 10.
Main areas of pain and numbness: lower back, both lower limbs.
Bending forward: no change
Bending backward: no change
Lasegue test: negative
Point of tenderness: around the spinous process of L3/4/5.
Intermittent claudication: positive after walking for 500m or less.
Additional explanations on our clinic’s medical examination
・Daily activities
Symptoms in the lower limbs are aggravated when walking.
Imaging and findings
- L1/2,2/3,3/4,4/5,5/s – disc degeneration
- L2/3,4/5 – spinal canal stenosis
- L5 – suspected hemangioma
The above findings were also observed on the imaging.
・L2/3,4/5 – spinal canal stenosis, and stenosis of both intervertebral foramen are the most probable causes of the main symptoms.
・L3/4,4/5 – treatment recommended from a preventive aspect due to the disc degeneration.
Treatment
After consulting with the patient, the Cellgel Method was performed on L2/3, 3/4, 4/5 and 5/s.
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)
*Cost for this particular patient’s case: Cellgel Method performed on 5 sites = 1,760,000 yen (including tax)
Risks and side effects of the Cellgel Method: transient pain may occur after treatment. Although nerve damage is not non-existent due to the very nature of the treatment, 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 aggravate 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 will discuss with the patient during their visit to the clinic to determine the best treatment option for the 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 page of our treatment
This article was written by the Administrative Director of our clinic
