Lactic Acid Disc Injection for Intervertebral Pain Stabilization
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current treatments for intervertebral disc-related pain, such as low back pain and neck pain, are invasive, costly, and lack a safe and effective method to address the underlying causes of disc degeneration, including fluid leakage and nerve ingrowth.
Innovation Solution
A composition comprising lactic acid with a pH below 1.5 is administered locally into the nucleus pulposus to accelerate the transformation of the intervertebral disc into solid and dense connective tissue, reducing fluid leakage and nerve ingrowth by increasing lactic acid concentration to above 12 mmol/L.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If surgical stabilization is performed to reduce disc movement, then pain from nerve compression is reduced, but the treatment becomes invasive and patient morbidity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts and removes the nucleus pulposus from the intervertebral disc through percutaneous nucleotomy, eliminating the source of pain (herniated material compressing nerves) without requiring open surgery or stabilization procedures. This resolves the contradiction by achieving pain relief through minimally invasive extraction rather than invasive stabilization.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses an intermediary substance (e.g., enzymatic composition or chemical agent) to facilitate the dissolution or removal of nucleus pulposus material. This intermediary enables pain relief through chemical means rather than mechanical surgical intervention, reducing invasiveness while maintaining effectiveness.
2Stress or pressure
If chemonucleolysis is performed to dissolve nucleus pulposus, then pressure on nerves is reduced, but the procedure lacks precision and may not address annular tears
Solution Approach 1:
The invention segments the treatment approach into distinct components: (1) precise percutaneous access to the disc, (2) targeted nucleotomy to remove specific problematic nucleus material, and (3) separate addressing of annular defects. This segmentation enables precision in both pressure reduction and annular tear management that neither chemonucleolysis nor surgery alone achieves.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention applies local quality by treating different regions of the intervertebral disc with different approaches: the nucleus pulposus is removed or dissolved to reduce pressure, while annular tears are sealed or reinforced with specific materials. This localized differentiation of treatment quality addresses both pressure and structural defects precisely.
3Stability of the object's composition
If disc cells are cultivated and reintroduced for regeneration, then disc rejuvenation is attempted, but the nutritionally deprived environment prevents cell survival
Solution Approach 1:
Rather than attempting to regenerate disc tissue in the nutritionally deprived environment (which has low reliability for cell survival), the invention extracts and removes the problematic nucleus pulposus material. This eliminates the need for cell cultivation and reintroduction, directly addressing the stability issue by removing degenerated tissue rather than attempting regeneration in an unsuitable environment.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention converts the harmful effect of the nutritionally deprived environment (which prevents cell survival) into a benefit by avoiding cell transplantation entirely. Instead of trying to make cells survive in the harsh disc environment, the approach removes the need for cells by mechanically or chemically eliminating the nucleus pulposus, thereby converting the environmental disadvantage into a treatment advantage.
4Stability of the object's composition
If fibrosing agents are introduced to promote regeneration, then some structural support is restored, but the treatment does not adequately address fluid leakage and inflammation
Solution Approach 1:
The invention segments the treatment into distinct functions: (1) removal of nucleus pulposus to eliminate fluid leakage source, (2) sealing of annular tears to prevent further leakage, and (3) optional reinforcement with structural materials. This segmentation separately addresses structural support and harmful fluid leakage/inflammation, achieving both goals more effectively than unified fibrosing agent approaches.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention prioritizes extracting and removing the nucleus pulposus and herniated material as the primary treatment step. By removing the source of fluid leakage and inflammatory mediators first, the treatment directly addresses harmful factors before considering structural reinforcement, reversing the approach of fibrosing agents that focus on structural support first.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The treatment effectively stabilizes the intervertebral disc, reducing pain by making it stiffer and less susceptible to fluid leakage and nerve growth, while being less invasive and more cost-effective than existing methods.
Implementation Method 1
A composition comprising lactic acid with a pH below 1.5 is administered locally into the nucleus pulposus to accelerate the transformation of the intervertebral disc into solid and dense connective tissue
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
Figure 4
AI summary
The present invention relates to intervertebral disc-related pain, such as low back pain, chronic low back pain, neckpain, chronic neck pain and coccygodynia. A composition for use in the treatment of intervertebral disc- related pain is provided. The composition comprises lactic acidand has a pH below 4. Thecomposition is administered into a disc space comprising the nucleus pulposus of an intervertebral disc.