RESUMO
Objective To observe the therapeutic efficacy of ozone injection in treating lumbar disc herniation. Methods One hundred and four patients with CT or MRI proved lumbar disc herniation, including 144 diseased lumbar discs, were enrolled in this study. The main complains were severe pain or numbness in the low back and lower limbs. Under the X-ray guidance, a 21 G needle was punctured into the disc, followed by an injection of 4-40 ml ozone (50 ug/ml) and 40 mg prednisolone acetate into intradiscal and paravertebral space. Results All patients were followed up for 3 to 84 months with an average time of 38 months. The last follow-up check was carried out in March of 2009. The total effective rate was 77.1%, with no occurrence of any serious complications. Conclusion The percutaneous injection of medical ozone into disc and paravertebral space is an effective and safe method for the treatment of lumbar disc herniation.