Disclosures: John T. Mansfield, DO: No financial relationships or conflicts of interest
Objective: Regenerative injection‐based therapy has established itself as a therapeutic option for the management of a variety of painful musculoskeletal conditions. The aim of this work was to review the current literature regarding regenerative injection therapy for axial/radicular spine pain.
Design: Narrative Review Setting : NA Participants : NA
Interventions: NA
Main Outcome Measures: A comprehensive literature review was conducted on the use of regenerative medicine for axial/radicular spine pain. Eligible articles analyzed the therapeutic injection effects of platelet‐rich plasma (PRP), prolotherapy, or mesenchymal signaling cells (MSCs) via intradiscal, facet joint, epidural, or sacroiliac joint delivery.
Results: Regarding intradiscal PRP, there are level I/IV studies supporting its use. Regarding intradiscal prolotherapy, there are level III to IV studies supporting its use. Regarding intradiscal MSCs, there are level I/IV studies supporting its use with the exception of one level IV study that found no significant improvement at 12 months. Regarding facet joint injections with PRP, there are level I/IV studies supporting its use. Regarding facet joint injections with prolotherapy, there are level IV studies supporting its use, though the one level I study did not demonstrate any statistical significance supporting its use. Regarding epidural injections with PRP, there are level I/IV studies supporting its use. Regarding epidural injections with prolotherapy, there are level IV studies supporting its use, though the one level I study did not demonstrate statistical significance beyond 48 hours. Regarding sacroiliac joint injections with PRP, there are level I/IV studies supporting its use. Regarding sacroiliac joint injections with prolotherapy, there are level I/III studies supporting its use. Conclusions: Currently, there are level I studies to support the use of PRP and MSC injections for discogenic pain; facet joint injections with PRP; epidural injections of autologous conditioned serum and epidural prolotherapy; and PRP and prolotherapy for sacroiliac joint pain. One level I study showed that facet joint prolotherapy has no significant benefit.
Level of Evidence: Level III
To cite this abstract in AMA style:
Mansfield JT, Robinson D, Miller BC. Regenerative Medicine for Axial and Radicular Spine‐Related Pain: A Narrative Review [abstract]. PM R. 2020; 12(S1)(suppl 1). https://pmrjabstracts.org/abstract/regenerative-medicine-for-axial-and-radicular-spine%e2%80%90related-pain-a-narrative-review/. Accessed May 31, 2025.« Back to AAPM&R Annual Assembly 2020
PM&R Meeting Abstracts - https://pmrjabstracts.org/abstract/regenerative-medicine-for-axial-and-radicular-spine%e2%80%90related-pain-a-narrative-review/