Biologic disc treatments

[Crystal33]

A recent study of restored disc height using non surgical decompression.

BioMed Central | Full text | Restoration of disc height through non-invasive spinal decompression is associated with decreased discogenic low back pain: a retrospective cohort study

[Rev. Zen]

The NuCore Injectable Nucleus seems very similar to the DASCOR System that is no longer viable. Is there any more information on the clinical trial in the US that is referenced?

[Crystal33]

Rev,
Nucore type procedure is 100+ times more desirable for patients but something seems to be holding back the development and introduction of minimal biological spine treatments. Could it be the threat to multi billion dollar fusion and ADR industries?

The images of regeneration you wont see with ADR or fusion.

CiteULike: An injectable nucleus replacement as an adjunct to microdiscectomy: 2 year follow-up in a pilot clinical study.

[wilsonrob]

Crystal,

I have had 2 ADR's at L4/5 and L5/S1. Now I have some problems with L3/4 with front thigh weakness and pain in back. I want to try the Biostat Fibrin sealant. Who performed this for you? Was it part of trial? Thanks

[mmglobal]

Rob, I have several clients who've received the fibrin sealant, some with good results, some were not successful. I like Dr. Kevin Pauza in TX for this.

The Nucore is not really a biologic treatment. It's basically performing a nucleus replacement via injecting a flowable hydrogel into the evacuated disc following a discectomy. There are other nucleus replacements that can be inserted endoscopically.

Nucore is similar to the Dascore nucleus replacement except that with Dascore, the flowable polymer fills the evacuated disc space inside of a balloon that inflates with the polymer as it's pushed into into it. The Nucore system does not use a balloon to contain the nucleus replacement. It is simply a hydrogel that directly fills the cavity created by the discectomy.

Mark

[Aaron]

My problem with all these studies is that I could do a test on the benefit of drinking beer on discs and a small group of people would report benefits on pain and tests may even show positive results, but how do you determine a test or procedure that has repeatability and whos success spans the population not just hand selected people. There are so many variables that are not studied, what percent would heal normally, time line patients have been hurting to be called chronic, etc. Vax-d, IDET etc. all had such studies promoting their products and are now considered not to work very well.

Most doctors I have seen consider disc regeneration the holy grail and are on board but consider time and testing the determining factor. I for one look at it in terms of quanity. If fibrin did work doctors would make a fortune injecting it in every soul with DDD and still do surguries on ones that don't fit criteria. I know money is a great motivator , but several breakthroughs in the last 100 years in medicine offered great benefits to patients that saved lots of money compared to old standards.

But one variable to is that if one person gets better from IDET, technically it is a success. Albeit only for that one person and their doctor, but a success no doubt. So it is such a slippery slope to decipher these studies and decide what is viable for the population and what might help one, because money has to be there.

I hope they do discover a treatment for disc degeneration because I just dont buy the healing on your own from tears etc. The anatomy of a disc just does not give me any reason to think a tear with any supplement can heal with gravity and pressure constantly on it from standing up and sitting. It would seem any healing done when laying down would introduce a strained disc to gravity when you stand up and the cycle would repeat with the disc tearing what has healed. The studies I have been reading about tears healing dont seem to do a discogram post healing to see if the tear is really there, they have gone off MRI for high intensity zone disappearing. I would like to see a discogram done post healing, but I am sure no one wants to pressure up a disc they think just healed.

[mmglobal]

Aaron, you have a healthy level of skepticism.

I disagree about the beer study. A LARGE number of drinkers would certianly get improvement from this therapy. I have experienced great benefit, even regeneration of my discs and healing of my annular tears from drinking beer. Sadly, my spine was just to severely damaged for the beer to overcome the DDD. I tried.