Ozone therapy versus surgery for lumbar disc herniation: A randomized double-blind controlled trial

Surgery is the treatment of choice for symptomatic disc herniation after conservative management. Several studies have suggested potential utility intradiscal ozone infiltration in this pathology. The aim trial was to compare vs. oxygen surgery. This a randomized, double-blinded, and controlled patients on waiting list herniated There were three groups: surgery; (plus foraminal ozone, steroids, anesthetic); oxygen, anesthetic). requirements Five years last recruited patient (median follow-up: 78 months), requirement further surgery 20 % group 60 group. 11 initially treated with also required second Compared group, showed: 1) significantly lower number inpatient days: median 3 days (interquartile range: 3–3.5 days) 0 0–1.5 days), p = 0.012; 2) costs: EUR 3702 3283–7630) 364 364–2536), 0.029. Our truncated showed that infiltrations decreased conventional surgery, resulting hospitalization durations associated costs. These findings their magnitude are interest health services providers. Further validation ongoing.