Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) for Facet Mediated Lumbar Low Back Pain

Description

Low back pain (LBP) is both the single most common cause of disability and the leading cause of visits when military personnel go to their primary care doctors. Military personnel that deal with LBP can often be placed on limited duty profile. Not surprisingly, the direct and indirect costs of low back and neck pain accounts for approximately $88 billion of health care expenditure. In order to reduce the large financial and personal cost, clinical studies must be designed to treat LBP. This study will provide evidence-based medicine on a new regenerative medicine treatment option that may significantly affect military personnel with LBP. PRP (Platelet Rich Plasma) may offer alternate treatment methods that may help preserve the facet joint structures, and improve pain and function without causing destructive lesions or worsening degenerative joints. This healing process may favor improved participation with rehabilitation therapy and ultimately improve return to duty status. This study will also assess the effectiveness of point of care generated PRP, as a minimally invasive treatment option for treating lumbar facet pain. Specifically, PRP effectiveness will be compared to injecting placebo control when injected into facet joints.

Conditions

Facet Joint Pain; Low Back Pain

Study Overview

Study Details

Study overview

Low back pain (LBP) is both the single most common cause of disability and the leading cause of visits when military personnel go to their primary care doctors. Military personnel that deal with LBP can often be placed on limited duty profile. Not surprisingly, the direct and indirect costs of low back and neck pain accounts for approximately $88 billion of health care expenditure. In order to reduce the large financial and personal cost, clinical studies must be designed to treat LBP. This study will provide evidence-based medicine on a new regenerative medicine treatment option that may significantly affect military personnel with LBP. PRP (Platelet Rich Plasma) may offer alternate treatment methods that may help preserve the facet joint structures, and improve pain and function without causing destructive lesions or worsening degenerative joints. This healing process may favor improved participation with rehabilitation therapy and ultimately improve return to duty status. This study will also assess the effectiveness of point of care generated PRP, as a minimally invasive treatment option for treating lumbar facet pain. Specifically, PRP effectiveness will be compared to injecting placebo control when injected into facet joints.

A Randomized Placebo-Controlled Trial of Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) for Facet Mediated Lumbar Low Back Pain

Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) for Facet Mediated Lumbar Low Back Pain

Condition
Facet Joint Pain; Low Back Pain
Intervention / Treatment

-

Contacts and Locations

Fort Liberty

Womack Army Medical Center, Fort Liberty, North Carolina, United States, 28310

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

For general information about clinical research, read Learn About Studies.

Eligibility Criteria

  • * Adult age 18-75 (inclusive)
  • * DEERS eligible
  • * Able to understand, read and speak English
  • * Willing and able to provide written informed consent
  • * Predominant area of pain is axial low back pain
  • * Chronic low back pain lasting more than 3 months
  • * Average daily numerical pain rating of at least 4 out of 10
  • * Single positive diagnostic medial branch block (MBB) of greater than or equal to 50% reduction in symptoms after local anesthetic injection
  • * Prior spinal intervention such as epidural steroid injection or sacroiliac joint injection for current symptoms
  • * Prior radiofrequency denervation for facet mediated pain
  • * History of lumbar fusion
  • * Allergic to local anesthetic such as lidocaine and ropivacaine
  • * On opioid medication greater than or equal to 50 MME
  • * Recent (within past 3 months) systematic or localized infection
  • * Spinal pathology such as symptomatic radiculopathy or spinal stenosis within the past 3 months
  • * Medical or psychological condition that would preclude safe participation in study procedures (e.g. uncontrolled coagulopathy, diabetes, uncontrolled immunosuppression, inflammatory arthritis, active malignancy, uncontrolled depression or anxiety, etc.)
  • * Service member currently going through medical evaluation board
  • * Scheduled to move, deploy, separate or retire within 6 months
  • * Unable or unwilling to comply with study requirements
  • * Currently pregnant or had a recent delivery (within past 3 months)

Ages Eligible for Study

18 Years to 75 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Collaborators and Investigators

Womack Army Medical Center,

Min Ho Chang, MD, PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR, Womack Army Medical Center

Study Record Dates

2026-09-29