Association Between Spinopelvic Parameters and Clinical Outcomes of Patients Treated With Transforaminal Platelet-Rich Plasma Injections for Lumbar Disc Prolapse

Introduction Lumbar disc prolapse mainly occurs in the regions involving the L4-L5 and L5-S1 vertebrae. In this context, the significance of spinopelvic parameters becomes notably prominent. Non-invasive management of lumbar disc prolapse encompasses medicinal therapy, physical therapy, exercise, and epidural injections. Because of its autologous blood origin, platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy has minimal risks associated with immunogenic reactions and side consequences. We evaluated the extent of pain reduction and improvement of functional outcomes in patients having discogenic low back pain with modified spinopelvic parameters before and after undergoing transforaminal autologous PRP injection interventions. Methodology An observational study was conducted between September 2022 and August 2023 on 100 patients with low back pain for six months. The study population comprised patients who did not respond to conservative treatment; they were recruited from the orthopaedic ward of the emergency medicine department and outpatient department at the RL Jalappa Hospital and Research Centre affiliated with Sri Devaraj Urs Medical College in Kolar, India. Every patient received a thorough evaluation that comprised an extensive medical history, a clinical examination, and imaging of the lumbosacral spine from both the front and side views. After obtaining the patient's consent and confirming their readiness for surgery, a PRP injection was administered. The injection technique followed the standardized protocol and was performed by an experienced spine surgeon in collaboration with orthopaedic residents. Pain evaluations utilizing the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) and assessment of functional outcomes using the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) scale were conducted before and after PRP injections at the one- and six-month follow-ups. Results The average age of the study participants was 41.82 ± 5.0 years, with 55% of them being male. A total of 39% of study samples exhibited an increased angle in spinopelvic parameters. The independent t-test revealed a statistically significant difference in the mean score of back pain, limb pain, and ODI score between patients with increased and decreased angles of spinopelvic parameters before and after injection (p=0.0001). The severity of back pain, leg pain, and functional disability was significantly reduced in patients with increased angles of spinopelvic parameters following PRP injections at the one-month follow-up (p=0.0001). However, at the six-month follow-up, patients encountered recurring symptoms and worsening back pain, leg pain, and functional disability compared to the one-month follow-up. Conversely, the severity of back pain, leg pain, and functional disability has been markedly reduced in the patients with lower spinopelvic parameter angles following PRP injections at one month (p=0.0001) and six months (p=0.0001) compared to pre-injections. Conclusion During the long-term follow-up, subjects with elevated spinopelvic parameter angles reported a lower level of improvement in functional outcome, leg pain, and back pain. The impact of spinopelvic parameters on back pain severity and functional disability is substantial, significantly affecting the functional outcome of patients with lumbar disc prolapse.