Review Article

Cell-Based Therapies Used to Treat Lumbar Degenerative Disc Disease: A Systematic Review of Animal Studies and Human Clinical Trials

Table 4

Clinical studies utilising cell-based therapies to treat human lumbar disc degeneration.

AuthorClinical detailsCells transplantedMethod of cell administrationResultsLevel of evidence

Haufe et al. [65]10 patients with low back pain due to degenerative disc disease Autologous bone marrow haematopoietic precursor stem cells (HSCs). Percutaneous injection with concurrent hyperbaric oxygen therapy(i) No improvement in back pain in any patient
(ii) 80% of patients underwent surgical intervention within 1 year
(i) 3

Meisel et al. [15]28 patients undergoing microdiscectomy with back pain (EuroDISC study) Autologous culture expanded disc derived chondrocytesPercutaneous injection 12 weeks following microdiscectomy (i) Patients receiving cell transplantation had reduced back pain at 2 years
(ii) Increased MRI T2 signal of treated and adjacent discs
(i) 1

Orozco et al. [22]10 patients with low back pain and radiological evidence of degenerative disc disease Autologous MSCsPercutaneous injection(i) Clinical improvement in back pain, leg pain and disability
(ii) Increased MRI T2 signal
(iii) Disc height not recovered
(i) 3

Yoshikawa et al. [23]
2 patients with back pain and sciatica, with radiological evidence of lumbar canal stenosis and disc disease Autologous bone marrow MSCsPercutaneous injection within collagen sponge(i) Increased MRI T2 signal
(ii) Less instability
(iii) Clinical improvement in both patients
(i) 3

HSCs: haematopoietic precursor stem cells, MSCs: mesenchymal stem cells.