A 70-Year-Old Female Patient Who Wants to Walk Without Using a Cane

Patient Information

Age in 70s, Female

Disease/Symptoms

• Spinal Canal Stenosis
• Spondylolisthesis
• Sciatica

Patient Condition

This patient has worked in the sewing industry since youth and until recently was an instructor in sewing classes. Around the age of 68, sciatic nerve pain started to appear, and by the end of last year, she had to walk with a cane. The patient frequently meets with her friends but feels uncomfortable walking with a cane, so she came to our clinic for a consultation.

Examination Results and Diagnosis

The MRI results show three lumbar discs from the third lumbar vertebra to the first sacral vertebra that have deformed and reduced in capacity. In addition, the fourth lumbar vertebra has shifted, accompanied by spinal canal stenosis.

Treatment Material

DRT Method (Disc Regeneration Treatment)

Sciatic nerve pain is believed to be caused by decreased disc function and chronic inflammation, so we performed DRT treatment. We explained that the patient might need about 6 months to walk without a cane. The success rate for eliminating cane dependence in our patients is approximately 70%, depending on the patient's condition.

Due to spondylolisthesis (lumbar vertebra shift), the catheter for treatment is carefully inserted until it reaches the disc. The vertebral shift can cause a winding nerve pathway, which may carry the risk of nerve pain during treatment.

The catheter used for the treatment is very thin, so it leaves no scars. After treatment, the patient only requires a bandage.

The image shows the disc being examined. After that, we performed DRT treatment.

This is an X-ray photo before and after treatment. The photo on the left is before treatment, and on the right is after treatment.

The total treatment time was 20 minutes. We also provided rehabilitation exercise guidelines to strengthen the muscles so that the patient could walk without a cane.

Message from the Clinic Director

Every working day, I write blog articles, and this September marks the fourth year. Ten years ago, I never imagined writing a blog, but since four years ago, patients have often asked about the types of treatments we perform and the progress after treatment. Therefore, I started using the blog to report the methods and developments of our treatments. In the past three full years, I have written more than 700 articles, and I consider this work a result of persistence. I will continue this work.

Speaking of something else, our Hanshin Tigers team is on a winning streak and is now only 3.5 games behind the league leaders, the Hiroshima Carp. I hope they win today and narrow the gap. Let's support them for the championship!