Column Treatment Case Report No. 44｜ ILC International Lumbago Clinic (Tokyo Clinic)

January 24, 2023

The patient

A male patient in his 80s.

The patient’s symptoms before the treatment

• The patient was diagnosed with disc herniation in 2015. He experienced mild relief with blocked injections.

• Around October 2020, he started to feel pain in his lower back after fishing and golfing.

• Describing the pain on a scale of 1 to 10 (1 being the least and 10 being the greatest pain imaginable), his lower back is at 3, and otherwise the rest of his body is without any particular pain.

• He is able to walk for more than 500m.

• Turning over in bed and washing one’s face are not a problem, but lifting heavy objects is very difficult. He also has some difficulty in standing up and sitting in a semi-crouched position, and with prolonged sitting.

Imaging and findings

• Intervertebral disc degeneration was observed on disc L2/3.
• Disc herniation was observed on discs L3/4, 4/5, and 5/s.

・L2/3 – both foramina have stenosis caused by disc degeneration, so treatment was suggested accordingly.

・L3/4 – Herniation was observed, and treatment was suggested accordingly.

・L4/5 – cracks were observed, and treatment was suggested accordingly.

・L5/S – Cracks were observed, and treatment was suggested accordingly.

Treatment

The Cellgel Method was performed on L2/3, 3/4 and 4/5.

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

The treatment took about 30 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