Approximately 40% of the population over the age of 40 suffers from degenerative disc disease, and those coping with pain from chronic conditions know how persistent and difficult it can be to treat. But hope may be on the horizon… Serious, surgery.
“Existing treatments for chronic low back pain due to degenerative disc disease are often ineffective or short-lived,” says Douglas Beal, M.D., lead author of Clinical Radiology and Chief of the Department of Radiology in Oklahoma. said.
In disc degeneration (DDD), the discs that cushion the spine and facilitate flexibility and movement begin to erode and worsen over time, causing varying degrees of pain and mobility problems. Developed by Dr. Beall and his team, this new treatment injects specialized cells into the damaged disc to encourage the existing cells to grow healthy tissue.
In a 3-year trial, 46 patients with chronic low back pain received viable disc allograft replacement and pain levels were monitored throughout the time frame. Pain levels were assessed using a visual analogue scale and function was measured with the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), with 60% of patients reporting a 50% or greater improvement in their condition and 70% of recipients reporting a 20% improvement in their condition. I noticed a change of more than a point.Moving from the category of severe or moderate disability to the category of mild or better in the ODI score.
Treatment groups reflect the types of patients seeking treatment for DDD and vary in age (19-73 years), gender, race, BMI, and smoking status.
“Significant improvements in pain and function are promising for chronic low back pain patients who can have a significant impact on a person’s quality of life,” said Dr. Beall.
Targeted injections have been in development for several years, but this 36-month study also shows that allogeneic treatment provides lasting mobility improvements and pain relief.
“This therapy may help patients return to normal activity levels for a longer period of time,” said Dr. Beall. “This condition needs better treatments because conservative care does not give patients the long-term results they deserve. Injectable allograft treatment may be the answer for many. ”
The study also addresses the impact of chronic back pain, which accounts for half of all opioid prescriptions, due to the economic cost of absenteeism.
The study will be presented at the Annual Scientific Meeting of the Society for Interventional Radiology in Phoenix this week.
Source: Interventional Radiology Society
