Alternative to Spine Surgery: A Single Shot of Human Cells

What if a single-dose injection could cure degenerative disk disease, without going under the knife and through the recovery process of spine surgery? Though it sounds too good to be true, pioneering medical company SpinalCyte says not only is it possible, but it’s already being done.

In a recently concluded clinical trial, the company reported that a single injection of fibroblast cells — modified human cells similar to stem cells — resulted in significant improvements in disk height and pain reduction 12 months after the initial shot.

While Houston-based SpinalCyte is not the only company studying the effects of fibroblasts on degenerative disk disease, it’s the only one that has studied their effects on humans. (Scientists at Istanbul University’s Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation have found success in tests on rabbits.)

Spinal disks are the soft tissue between the vertebrae that act as cushions along the spinal column. When the disks wear out, from injury or age, they cause friction along the spine and often debilitating back pain.

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