Overcoming Challenges: Treating Severe Spinal Degeneration Outpatient

Patient Information

Male, in his 80s

Diseases and Symptoms

• Advanced Disc Degeneration
• Spinal Canal Stenosis
• Sciatica
• Intermittent Claudication

Patient Condition

The patient has been experiencing sciatica for over 10 years. He has also had back pain for more than 20 years. He can only walk for 5 minutes from home to the park, stopping repeatedly to rest, and he worries about relying on others for help in the future. Therefore, he decided to consult at our clinic.

Examination Results and Diagnosis

In the patient's MRI of the back, the disc between L2 and S1 is nearly completely absent. This has likely been the case for over 30 years. The nerves in the legs are also under pressure, and he was diagnosed with spinal canal stenosis.

Treatment Method

DRT Method (Disc Regeneration Treatment)

For outpatient treatment, the suitable treatments are Discseel® or DRT, but the issue is whether there is enough space to insert a catheter into the disc. After explaining the possibility that the treatment may not be successful, we decided to proceed with DRT for this patient.

Because the treatment time can exceed 30 minutes, the patient was given a sedative to help him rest.

Due to severe bone deformation, we used a harder PRC needle. Due to the strong bone shape change, the PRC needle had to be inserted close to the vertebral bone to reach the disc.

I had to press the needle with my right hand, which caused a slight tingling sensation in my hand.

It took more than 20 minutes to insert the catheter into the disc, but we successfully treated all four discs perfectly.

The treatment time was 34 minutes. Treatments of this difficulty are exceptionally rare.

Message from the Clinic Director

In the early stages, the success rate for treating herniated discs and spinal canal stenosis can exceed 90%, but as the disease worsens, the success rate decreases. In severe cases where the gap between the discs disappears completely, it may physically be impossible to perform the treatment. Early treatment is crucial to avoid the worsening of the disease, just like in the treatment of cancer or cavities, diseases should be addressed at the early stage.

By the way, yesterday I took my son to watch the Tigers' game at Koshien Stadium, and our team managed to win by 12 points against the Hiroshima Carp. This made me come to the office today with a light step.

Additionally, the rainy season has ended, and the heatwave has arrived across the country. Everyone, take care of your health and stay alert to this weather condition.