The Robert W. Woodruff Health Sciences Center of Emory University in Atlanta announced the results of a clinical trial that showed that a single injection of stem cells into degenerative discs reduced low back pain for at least 12 months.
The phase II, international clinical trial included 100 patients. Researchers from Emory Orthopaedics & Spine Center in Atlanta were also involved. The patients suffered from moderate to severe discogenic low back pain. In the trial, injections of bone marrow stem cells, called mesenchymal precursor cells, were used.
On average, researchers found a pain reduction greater than 50 percent at 12 months. Additionally, there was less need for pain medication, improvement in function and less need for further surgical and non-surgical spine interventions.
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