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Indications and efficacy of O2–O3 intradiscal versus steroid intraforaminal injection in different types of disco vertebral pathologies: a prospective randomized double-blind trial with 517 patients

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Abstract

Objective

The aim of this study was to prospectively evaluate the clinical efficacy of perigangliar steroid and local anesthetic with intradiscal O2–O3 injection versus steroid and local anesthetic intraforaminal injection in different types of herniation and grade of disc degeneration.

Materials and methods

A total of 517 patients were randomly assigned to two groups. Control Group (159 men, 101 women; age range 25–89 years) underwent steroid and local anesthetic intraforaminal injection. Study Group (163 men, 94 women; age range 22–92 years) underwent the same treatment with addiction of O2–O3 intradiscal injection. Procedures were performed under computed tomographic guidance. Visual Analog Scale Questionnaire was administered before treatment and at intervals, the last at 6-month follow-up. Results were compared with Kruskal–Wallis and t test.

Results

After 6 months, O2–O3 discolysis was successful in 106 (41.24 %) Study Group patients with extrusions compared with 9 Control Group patients (3.5 %) (P < 0.001). In 89 (34.6 %) Study Group patients with protrusions, success rate was statistically significant compared with 5 Control Group patients (1.9 %). Significant difference was detected in the presence of Grade I, II, III of Degenerated Disc in 185 of Study Group patients (68.4 %) compared with 4 Control Group patients (1.5 %).

Conclusions

The addition of O2–O3 discolysis is more effective at 6 months than perigangliar steroid and local anesthetic injection, especially in cases of herniated or protruded discs and with a Grade of Disc Degeneration from mild to moderate range.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. S Salvatore Hospital, Coppito, 67100, L’Aquila, Italy

    Marco Perri, Claudia Marsecano, Marco Varrassi, Aldo Victor Giordano, Alessandra Splendiani, Ernesto di Cesare, Carlo Masciocchi & Massimo Gallucci

  2. Division of Radiology, Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Science, University of L’Aquila, L’Aquila, Italy

    Marco Perri, Claudia Marsecano, Marco Varrassi, Aldo Victor Giordano, Ernesto di Cesare & Carlo Masciocchi

  3. Division of Neuroradiology, Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Science, University of L’Aquila, L’Aquila, Italy

    Alessandra Splendiani & Massimo Gallucci

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  1. Marco Perri
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  2. Claudia Marsecano
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Correspondence to Marco Perri.

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The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Ethical approval

All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards. This article does not contain any studies with animals performed by any of the authors.

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Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.

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Perri, M., Marsecano, C., Varrassi, M. et al. Indications and efficacy of O2–O3 intradiscal versus steroid intraforaminal injection in different types of disco vertebral pathologies: a prospective randomized double-blind trial with 517 patients. Radiol med 121, 463–471 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11547-015-0598-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11547-015-0598-x

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