Column Treatment Progress No. 22 | A Patient who Went From Being Wheelchair-bound to Walking 2km Following Treatment
April 19, 2023
The patient
A male patient in his 80s
Treated in November 2022. Approximately 5 months have passed since treatment.
Symptoms and treatments to date
This patient had disc herniation in the areas indicated by the red frame (L2/3).
He also had disc degeneration in L2/3, 3/4 and 4/5.
Pre-treatment medical history and treatments to date
The patient had experienced low back pain intermittently for 30–40 years, with symptoms typically subsiding over time.
Two months ago, he suddenly began experiencing severe back pain. One month ago, he became unable to walk more than 50 meters.
Despite evaluation at an orthopedic clinic, his condition did not improve, leading him to visit our clinic.
Treatment
The Cellgel Method was performed on a total of four disc levels: L2/3, L3/4, L4/5, and L5/S.
Post-treatment progress
The table below shows the results of the patient’s own evaluation of the pain in each body site on a scale of 0 to 10.
No pain at all is rated as 0 and 10 as the maximum possible pain.
| Lower back | Lower limbs | Numbness | Buttocks | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Before treatment | 4 | 9 | 0 | 0 |
| 1 week after treatment | 3 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| 1 month after treatment | 3 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| 3 months after treatment | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
The following is feedback from the patient when contacted for follow-up.
After 1 week: Lower limb pain had decreased by approximately half, while lower back pain remained largely unchanged. Posture had improved.
After 1 month: Previously, bending forward caused severe pain rated at 8–9; this had decreased to approximately 3–4.
After 3 months: Symptoms had significantly improved, and the patient was able to walk up to 2 km daily.
At the time of the initial visit, the patient arrived at our clinic in a wheelchair.
At the three-month follow-up, his recovery to the point of walking 2 km was a surprising and encouraging outcome for the entire staff.
As his pain levels have decreased, we are very happy to see that the repair of the intervertebral discs over time is having a positive effect.
* Results vary among individuals. Please be aware that identical outcomes cannot be guaranteed.
* It generally takes 3 weeks to 3 months for treatment effects to appear.
Our Treatment Method
Supplementary Information on the Cellgel Method
Cost of the Cellgel Method:
¥1,320,000 / 1 site (tax included)
to ¥1,760,000 / 5 sites (tax included)
Risks and Side Effects:
Temporary pain may occur after treatment.
Nerve injury is theoretically possible due to the nature of the procedure, but no such cases have been reported in our own experience or in published studies.
Extremely rare risk of allergic reaction to local anesthetic.
Symptoms may temporarily worsen for 1–2 weeks after treatment, believed to be due to decompression effects of the implant pulling on surrounding tissue.
If the disc is severely collapsed or nearly gone, treatment may not be possible.
The physician will discuss suitable treatment options with each patient depending on their 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
