Editor-in-Chief: Alaa Abd-Elsayed, MD, PhD
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BACKGROUND: Adjacent segment disease is a major long-term complication after surgical treatment of lumbar disc disease. When conservative management fails, the predominant treatment is further surgery. Safe and effective nonsurgical intervention for adjacent segment disease is an unmet medical need.
CASE REPORT: A 65-year-old woman with a history of L4-S fusion was referred for evaluation of worsening pain affecting the lumbar spine after conservative measures failed to provide meaningful improvement. She was treated with an injection of VIA Disc® NP, a processed human nucleus pulposus tissue allograft intended to supplement degenerated intervertebral discs. She reported 80% pain relief 4 weeks after injection with further improvement through 8 months, including restored ability to perform her usual activities with minimal discomfort.
CONCLUSION: A single intradiscal injection of VIA Disc® NP successfully relieved pain and improved function in a patient with prior L4-S fusion who presented with adjacent segment disease at L3-4.
KEY WORDS: Adjacent segment disease, allogeneic disc tissue, allograft, case report, degenerative disc disease, intradiscal injection
