Juraj Vyletelka, Vladimír Labaj
Introduction and objective: Therapy with an ozone-oxygen mixture is a miniinvasive procedure for treating hernias of intervertebral discs, which utilizes biochemical properties of gaseous mixture of ozone and oxygen. The objective of this work is to evaluate a therapeutic effect of ozone-oxygen mixture in patients with hernia of intervertebral disc in the lumbar region. Methods: 300 patients were treated by intraforaminal application of ozone-oxygen mixture under CT or skiaskopic control. All affected individuals had clinical signs of nerve root compression with a disc hernia confirmed through the use of CT or MRI. All of them were given ozone-oxygen mixture at the ozone concentration of 27 μg/ml in volume of 7 - 10 ml. Therapeutic effect was evaluated after 3, 6 and 12 months with the McGill Pain Questionnaire, Oswestry Low Back Pain Scale and the modified McNab Method. Results: After 12 months from the beginning of treatment the result was successful (good, or satisfactory) in 87 % of patients, without any change remained 11.3 % and deterioration occurred in 1.7 % of patients according to the modified McNab Method. In assessment of visual analogue scale (VAS) within the McGill Questionnaire the mean change in pain intensity before and after treatment was of 3.0 scores, what correlated with the range of reliability for mean values (2,8 - 3,21) at 95 % of probability. In assessment of Oswestry Scale there was a change in evaluating of daily activities before and after treatment of 9.0 scores, what correlated with the range of reliability for mean values (8,13 - 9,89) at 95 % of probability. Conclusion: Therapy with an ozoneoxygen mixture proved to be highly effective in pain relief in patients with acute or chronic lumboischiadic syndrome. This method is suitable for patients with hernia of lumbar intervertebral disc after failed response to conservative therapy.