Column Treatment Case Report No. 48｜ ILC International Lumbago Clinic (Tokyo Clinic)

February 07, 2023

The case of a patient diagnosed with disc herniation and with residual symptoms after undergoing symptomatic treatment with medication.

The patient

A male patient in his 50s.

The patient’s medical history to date

• In 2015, the patient was diagnosed with disc herniation. His main symptoms were back pain and pain in the left lower limb.

• Around January 2022, he started experiencing a tingling sensation in his leg while at work.

• On a scale of 1 to 10 (1 being minimal and 10 being maximal), the pain is 5 in the lower back, 10 in the lower limbs, 7 in the buttocks, and 10 for numbness

• The patient walking ability is limited to 100m or less.

• Lifting heavy objects is very difficult. He also has some difficulty with turning over in bed, standing up, washing his face, and sitting in a semi-crouched position or prolonged sitting posture.

Imaging and findings

• Disc herniation was observed on discs L4/5 and 5/s.

・Midline herniation was observed, which may be the cause of low back pain, pain in the lower limbs and numbness, so treatment was suggested accordingly.

・L5/s – Herniation of the left side was observed, which may be the cause of low back pain, pain in the lower limbs and numbness, so treatment was suggested accordingly.

Treatment

PODD was performed on discs L4/5 and 5/S.

A needle was inserted into the intervertebral discs and ozone was injected in each disc.

Ozone was also injected into the epidural.

The treatment itself took about 25 minutes.

After a period of rest in the recovery room, the patient was able to walk home on his own.

Since the easing of immigration restrictions for foreigners, we have been receiving more and more inquiries from overseas.

We would like to do our best at the international level too.

Our clinic’s treatment methods

Here is some additional information about the PODD that we have presented above.

Cost of PODD: 330,000 yen /one site (including tax) to 550,000 yen /5 sites (including tax)

Cost of epidural ozone: 33,000 yen /one site (including tax) – 165,000 yen /5 sites (including tax)

Cost for this patient’s case: PODD on 2 sites = 385,000 yen (including tax)

　　　　　　　　　　　　 epidural ozone on 2 sites = 66,000 yen (including tax)

Risks and side effects of PODD: Transient pain may occur after treatment. Nerve damage, although a very low possibility due to the nature of the treatment, has never been reported in either studies or publications. There is a very small possibility of allergic reactions to local anesthetics. In addition, if the disc has lost most of its volume due to aging, it may not be possible to treat it. The doctor will consult with you at the time of consultation to determine the best treatment option for your condition.

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

The page for the PODD Method treatment at our clinic

This article was written by: Dr. Tadaaki Minowa, administrative director