Column Treatment Case Report No. 79｜ ILC International Lumbago Clinic (Tokyo Clinic)
June 14, 2023
Patient case
The patient
A female patient in her 70s.
The patient’s medical history to date
Approximately 5 to 6 years ago, the patient developed symptoms of intermittent claudication and was diagnosed with spinal canal stenosis. She was given medication, but she saw no improvement.
In July 2022, she suffered from an episode of strained back. She was prescribed painkillers, but there was no improvement.
Currently, she is consulting with our clinic for treatment.
Symptoms before treatment
・Pain levels before treatment
| Lower back | Lower limbs | Numbness | Buttocks | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pain level | 2 | 3 | 2 | 0 |
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, right knee.
Bending forward: pain in the lower back (more painful than when bending backward).
Backward bending: pain in the lower back.
Lasegue test: positive on both sides.
Point of tenderness: 3/4 to 5/s on the left side.
Additional explanations on our clinic’s medical examination
・Daily activities
Pain increases when standing for 5 to 10 minutes and when stooping.
The patient is able to walk less than 100 m.
The patient has intermittent claudication.
Imaging and findings
- L4/5/5/s – spinal canal stenosis
- L3/4, 4/5, 5/s – disc degeneration
- Th12 – compression fracture
- L6 – transitional vertebra
The above findings were also observed on the imaging.
・L4/5/5/s – spinal canal stenosis was observed, and is the probable cause of the pain and numbness.
Based on the examination and imaging findings, we proposed the above treatment.
Treatment
After consulting with the patient, the Cellgel Method was performed on L4/5 and 5/s.
The treatment was performed by our administrative director, Dr. Minowa.
This is an image of the patient’s back after the Discogel injection.
The treatment took about 25 minutes.
The patient had pain during the treatment, but after some rest in the recovery room, she was able to leave the clinic by walking by herself.
The treatment method at our clinic
Some additional information about the PODD Method.
Cost of the PODD Method: 330,000 yen / 1 site (including tax) to 550,000 yen / 5 sites (including tax)
Epidural ozone cost: 33,000 yen / 1 site (including tax) to 165,000 yen / 5 sites (including tax)
* Cost for this particular patient: PODD on 1 site: 330,000 yen (including tax)
PODD risks and side effects: There is a possibility of transient pain occurring after treatment. There is a possibility of nerve damage due to the nature of the treatment, but there have been no reports of damage in either our own treatment cases or in published papers. There is a very small possibility of an allergic reaction to the local anesthetic. In addition, there is a possibility that treatment may not be possible if the intervertebral disc has lost its volume almost completely. When you visit our clinic, please consult with the doctor in order to choose a treatment method that is appropriate for your condition.
For more detailed information, please refer to the page in the link below.
PODD method page of our treatment method
This article was written by the Administrative Director of our clinic
