Suche
Mein Konto
Researchers have found that an injectable gel that repairs cracked and torn spinal discs may help relieve back pain.
Scientists at Clinical Radiology of Oklahoma said the treatment showed promise after it relieved pain in 20 people ages 20 to 69 who suffered from degenerative disc disease, a condition in which the discs that separate the vertebrae wear away.
However, they added that it was necessary to wait for the results of a pilot study in the US and Canada before the gel - called Hydrafil - could be rolled out more widely.
It is estimated that approximately 65 million Americans suffer from back pain each year, with degenerative disc disease being the leading cause.
Current treatments focus on “conservative” methods, including rest, physical therapy, and back bracing. Current gel treatments to relieve the condition must be inserted surgically and can pop out, unlike the new treatment that only requires an injection.
The gel could help relieve lower back pain by hardening the cracks and fissures that form in the intervertebral discs over time (stock image)
In the study, presented this week at the Society of Interventional Radiology's Annual Scientific Meeting, researchers said they recruited 20 people from Colombia with chronic back pain for the study.
Each had previously tried to relieve their pain with “conservative measures” but had experienced only mild recovery.
The special gel was heated to 65°C before being injected directly into her intervertebral discs - which separate bony vertebrae - in her lower back.
It then cooled to body temperature in the patient and solidified into an implant to support the intervertebral discs in the back.
Scientists said the gel, made from plastic, cools quickly after injection and that no damage to surrounding tissue has been observed or recorded so far.
Six months later, everyone reported a reduction in back pain on a scale of 10 - which is the highest - from seven before treatment to just two now.
They also reported an improvement in their ability to perform physical activities.
Hydrafil will now be fast-tracked to a second trial, the scientists said, to confirm whether it is a "promising treatment" for the condition.
Dr. Douglas Beall, the radiologist who led the study, said: “If these results are confirmed by further research, this procedure could be a very promising treatment for chronic back pain in patients who have not found sufficient relief with conservative treatment.
“The gel is easy to administer, does not require open surgery and is a simple procedure for the patient.”
He added: “We really don’t have any good treatments for degenerative disc disease, apart from conservative treatment.
"Surgery is statistically no more effective than conservative treatment and can potentially make things worse. And existing hydrogels are inserted through an incision as a soft solid that can pop out if you're not very skilled at placing it."
Hydrafil received a Breakthrough Device designation from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2020, allowing it to enter trials.