SummaryFor disc herniations the use of open surgical approaches is reduced since new percutaneous methods allowing shrinkage of the disc and improvement of the radicular function are gaining interest. Studies on the spontaneous disappearance of disc fragments have demonstrated autoimmune responses with a chronic inflammatory reaction. Also radicular pain has been shown to be mostly due to biochemical mechanisms [10]. Researchers in di¤erent fields surprisingly noticed that a brief, calculated, oxidative stress by ozone administration may correct a persistent imbalance due to excessive, chronic oxidative injury [4]. Oxygen-ozone gas injection in painful patients has a dramatic e¤ect on clinical symptoms. On these bases the intradiscal injection of oxygen-ozone gas has been conceived [1,7,9]. We report the treatment on a series of patients a¤ected by cervical disc pathology, treated by intradiscal injection of oxygen-ozone gas mixture. The e¤ects both on pain and on radicular dysfunction are impressive. The morphological e¤ect of the treatment was also evaluated by pathological examination.
Research in spine surgery has proposed new soft and less invasive techniques. These are the results of our experience with oxygen-ozone therapy, which we could experiment within the Italian National Health System over 3 years. A total of 1,920 patients were admitted on the basis of unselected enrolment because of lumbosciatic pain. Patients were divided into three groups: (A) Patients with degenerative disc disease and arthropathy: 509 (26.5%), (B) Patients with failed back surgery syndrome (FBSS): 1,027 (53.489%), and (C) Patients with pure herniated lumbar disc: 384 (20%). The rationale of the treatment for all these different pathologies we have taken into consideration is the biochemical mechanism by which they can engender pain and dysfunction. Treatment for group A: paravertebral injection and phleboclysis (two cycles of 6 sessions, one each 3 days) +endoscopic neurolysis. Treatment for group B: paravertebral injection and phleboclysis (two cycles of 6 sessions, one each 3 days) + endoscopic neurolysis with intradiscal procedure (named percutaneous peridurodiscolysis). Treatment for group C: paravertebral injection (two cycles of 6 sessions, one each 3 days) + percutaneous discolysis.The perceived quality of result for this minimally invasive procedure makes oxygen-ozone therapy an interesting weapon in the hands of doctors. Furthermore, if the technique loses its clinical effectiveness, it can be repeated without harm for the patient, and costs for the health organization are notably very low, above all if compared to surgical procedures.We underline the need that this treatment should be performed in protected structures, in operative rooms, under anesthesiologic control, and in the hands of specialists.
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