Treatment for Rapidly Worsening Sciatic Pain

Female, in her 60s

Condition/Symptoms

• Spinal Canal Stenosis
• Sciatica

Patient's Condition

Since around the spring of 2023, the patient has been experiencing lower back pain and sciatica but was still able to lead her daily life. However, in July 2024, the sciatic nerve pain in her right leg suddenly worsened, and she became unable to walk. The patient began treatment with medication at a nearby orthopedic hospital, but there was no improvement, so she came to the clinic using a wheelchair.

Examination and Diagnosis Results

An MRI of the lower back showed widespread damage to the discs from the second lumbar vertebra to the first sacral vertebra. The spinal canal, which is the nerve path to the legs, is also narrowed, and the patient was diagnosed with spinal canal stenosis.

Details of the Procedure

DRT Method (Disc Regeneration Therapy)

The patient was initially considered for surgery, but since she wanted a treatment that could be done without hospitalization, we decided to perform DRT (Disc Regeneration Therapy).

Four treatment tubes were inserted. We used only local anesthesia without sedatives.

During the examination of the discs, we were performing DRT.

X-ray images before and after treatment. The left side is before treatment, and the right side is after treatment.

The patient went home two hours after the treatment, and the sciatic pain had decreased by more than 60% at the time of departure. Since the patient had been using a wheelchair for over a month, several weeks of rehabilitation were needed before she could walk. We also provided guidance on the rehabilitation methods.

Comments from the Director

For patients who arrive unable to walk and undergo treatment at our clinic, the success rate of walking again is about 80%. If there is no nerve damage causing side effects, the chances of improvement increase, but if the patient cannot walk for more than a year, the treatment results tend to decrease. Early treatment is very important.

Yesterday, the clinic staff went to Koshien Stadium.

Everything was fine and good until the moment when the Tigers seemed to be tied by a string; unfortunately, the team lost in that match. Hopefully, the result will be better today.