PLATELET-RICH PLASMA INJECTIONS FOR LUMBAR DEGENERATIVE MONODISCOPATHY: A PILOT STUDY

Objective: This longitudinal pilot study aimed to evaluate the feasibility, safety, and potential benefits of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections into lumbar intervertebral discs in patients with chronic low back pain and degenerative monodiscopathy, assessing potential efficacy on disability.
Material and Methods: Six participants with chronic low back pain and lumbar degenerative intervertebral disc disease underwent a single PRP injection into the affected lumbar intervertebral disc. Follow-up assessments were conducted over 1 year. Outcomes included the Roland Morris Disability Questionnaire (RMDQ) for disability, numeric rating scale (NRS) for pain, Tampa Scale for Kinesiophobia (TSK), and lumbar flexion range of motion. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was used to evaluate disc structural changes.
Results: No adverse events were reported. At 1 year, 50% of participants showed significant improvements in disability scores (RMDQ), while the remaining 50% experienced no change. Pain (NRS) and kinesiophobia (TSK) scores showed no consistent pattern of improvement across the cohort. MRI analysis revealed no significant changes in intervertebral disc morphology.
Conclusion: PRP injections may offer potential benefits for selected patients with degenerative lumbar intervertebral discopathy and low back pain, particularly in reducing disability. However, the findings are limited by the small sample size and absence of a control group. Further research with larger, randomized controlled trials is needed to establish efficacy and optimize PRP therapy protocols for this population.