Chronic Pain

Injectable hydrogel treats back pain from damaged discs in human trials

Injectable hydrogel treats back pain from damaged discs in human trials
An injectable hydrogel has shown promise in repairing damaged spinal discs in a new human trial
An injectable hydrogel has shown promise in repairing damaged spinal discs in a new human trial
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An injectable hydrogel has shown promise in repairing damaged spinal discs in a new human trial
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An injectable hydrogel has shown promise in repairing damaged spinal discs in a new human trial

Human trials have shown that hydrogel injections are a promising, effective treatment for chronic lower back pain caused by degenerative disc disease (DDD). The treatment is far less invasive than other surgeries, and has been given FDA approval.

Spinal discs play an important role in cushioning the vertebrae, but as with many parts of the body they begin to wear out with age. In many people, the fluid filling of the discs can dry up or leak out, causing pain and affecting mobility. Unfortunately, treatments are largely limited to care like rest, physical therapy and painkillers, or in more severe cases, surgery where discs are removed or replaced with prosthetics.

But recently, scientists have developed a new option – a hydrogel that can be injected into the spine where it fills in cracks and tears in the affected disc, restoring some of its cushioning to alleviate pain. Developed by the medical company ReGelTec, the gel is known as Hydrafil, and in 2020 it received a Breakthrough Device designation from the US FDA. And now the results of the first human trials are in.

The trial involved 20 patients aged between 22 and 69, all of whom had chronic lower back pain from DDD. They had all described their pain as four or higher on a 10-point scale, and all had reported only mild relief from existing therapies.

First, the gel is heated so that it becomes a thick liquid, which is then injected using a 17-gauge needle into the affected discs. When it cools to body temperature, it forms an implant with the same kind of biomechanical properties as the natural disc. The patients were then followed for six months to assess their recovery.

And sure enough, all participants reported improvements to pain and mobility. On a scale of 0 to 10, the average pain level reported fell from 7.1 to 2.0. On a questionnaire about how their lower back pain prevented them from performing everyday activities, their average score fell from 48 down to six.

“If these findings are confirmed in further research, this procedure may be a very promising treatment for chronic low back pain in those who’ve found insufficient relief from conservative care,” said Douglas Beall, lead author of the study. “The gel is easy to administer, requires no open surgery, and is an easy procedure for the patient.”

Of course, this first trial was small, and 20 patients isn’t enough to make any big claims just yet. But the treatment does show promise, and the team will continue testing with more patients.

The research will be presented at the Annual Scientific Meeting of the Society of Interventional Radiology next week.

Source: Eurekalert

10 comments
10 comments
Jimmy the Geek
Fingers crossed. If it pans out what a potentially great alternative to laminectomy / fusion.
1stClassOPP
Will this hydrogel also work for knee and hip joints? If so, GREAT!
Username
Not only do they need a larger test group, they need a longer test period. And if the effects are relatively short lived, they need to see the effects of multiple applications .
guzmanchinky
I had my L5-S1 fused 10 years ago, best decision ever. This would have been a welcome alternative back then...
mediabeing
I've doubts galore. So you squirt this stuff in. Doesn't the body immunity system take exception? Does the patient have to take medication to keep negative responses on a leash?
What if the stuff fragments? What's to keep it in place?
Doubts upon doubts. Oh well.
noteugene
Well this is pretty good news. Injured my back badly, DDD 50 yrs ago, never wanted surgery or pain pills. I contacted them asking to be on second group of testers. I also tried contacting medical facilities in my hometown to see if someone was already providing this service. Alas, none of them provide a means for me to contact them. Phone call only. Been deaf for 40 plus yrs. Just so tired of this. I'm going to start suing for the right to make text calls, email, whatever. I've had it.
Aross
I'm curious as to why only lower backs. It sounds to me like it would be useful for any damaged disk in the spinal column.
Robt
@Aross I suspect the reason for the emphasis on lower back pain is its ubiquity
LooseSends
Just release it right away. Recent The Science™ has taught us that long term studies are superfluous and largely unnecessary when we need something right now. Mistakes and unpredictable processes only happened decades ago and we know pretty much everything now, so why wait?
Thornapple
Nice work. Hopefully there are no long term issues from the material. Chronic back pain is a terrible condition and lower back is completely debilitating with limited treatment options vs knees and hips etc. Well done.