Ozone Nucleolysis Or Ozone Discectomy Is A Non-Operative Intervention For Slipped Disc
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Gautam_Das]Gautam Das
Ozone nucleolysis or ozone discectomy is a non-operative intervention slipped disc / disc prolapse & discogenic pain.
Muto suggested intradiscal injection of ozone for disc hernia in 1998 under CT guidance. Leonardi popularized fluoroscopy guided ozone injection into the intervertebral disc. After that, successful outcome has been reported from various European centers. It is very important to note from those reports that complications are remarkably few. Not a single serious life-threatening complication was found even after 300000 cases of Ozone nucleolysis, which stresses the safety of these procedures
How ozone acts? The action of ozone is due to the active oxygen atom liberated from breaking down of ozone molecule. When ozone is injected into the disc the active oxygen atom called the singlet oxygen or the free radicle attaches with the proteo-glycan bridges in the jelly-like material or nuceus pulposus. They are broken down and they no longer capable of holding water. As a result disc shrinks and mummified. So the intradiscal volume and intradiscal pressure is reduced. Thus there is decompression of nerve. It is almost equivalent to surgical discectomy and so the procedure is called ozone discectomy. It is also called ozone nucleolysis or ozonucleolysis. Besides, it has an anti-inflammatory action due to inhibitions of formation of inflammation producing substances and tissue oxygenation is increased due to increased 2,3 diphosphoglycerate level in the red blood cells. All these factors lead to decompression of nerve roots, decreased inflammation of nerve roots, and increased oxygenation to the diseased tissue for repair work.
It is done usually under local anaesthesia. Light general anaesthesia may be administered in apprehensive patients only. The patient is taken to the operation theater lying on prone position. Very fine needle is introduced into the diseased disc under fluoroscopic guidance. The position of needle tip may be confirmed by injecting some small amount of radio-opaque dye. Then some 3-5 cc of oxygen-ozone mixture (at a concentration of 29 microgram/ml.) is injected into the disc. Ozone at this concentration is not all harmful for the surrounded tissue. So if ozone spreads to the surrounded tissues including spinal cord causes no harm. Ozone molecule is not stable. It has a half-life of about 20 minutes only. So, within 20 minutes only half of the original ozone remains, the rest becomes oxygen. Increase in temperature decreases its half-life. For injection it is always freshly prepared on site (from an ozone generator) for immediate administration. Only Ozone resistant syringes can be used for injecting it. While needle with the syringe is taken out some amount of oxygen-ozone mixture is also injected into the paraspinal muscle and para-radicular soft tissue to reduce nerve root inflammation and increased oxygenation of the para-spinal muscles. Some 15 to 30 minutes is required to perform the total procedure depending on the experience of the interventionist.
There are few conditions when this procedure should not be performed. They are active bleeding from any site, pregnancy, G6PD deficiency, active hyperthyroidism, loss of control of urination & defecation, and progressive sensory & motor loss (paralysis).
Ozonucleolysis, ozone nucleolysis or ozone discectomy has a success rate of about 80%. On the other hand surgical discectomy has similar success rate but much higher side effects compared to remarkably few side effects of ozone discectomy. Ozone discectomy is usually a day care procedure and general anaesthesia is not usually required. Total cost of the procedure is much less than that of surgical discectomy. All these facts have made this procedure very popular European countries. It is also gaining popularity in India too due to low cost, less hospital stay, no post-operative discomfort and morbidity and very few side effects. http://www.painindia.net http://www.painindia.net/ozone.php http://www.painindia.net/ozonenucleolysis.php
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Gautam_Das http://EzineArticles.com/?Ozone-Nucleolysis-Or-Ozone-Discectomy-Is-A-Non-Operative-Intervention-For-Slipped-Disc&id=975082
Monday, February 11, 2008
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Back Pain - Herniated Disc Treatments
Herniated Disc Treatments - A Safer, More Effective Option
By George Best
Herniated disc sufferers have traditionally had the treatment options of medication, physical therapy, spinal injections, and/or surgery, and because of the limited effectiveness of these approaches, many simply have had to learn to live with the pain. But a new option is now available and while not appropriate or effective for every person with a herniated disc, it does represent a huge leap in effectiveness and safety in treating herniated discs.
Spinal decompression is a new form of spinal traction. Regular traction has been used for a number of years to treat herniated discs, unfortunately with poor results in many cases, and with symptom aggravation occurring in some cases. The problem with regular traction is that it activates the body's muscle guarding response and can trigger muscle spasm, which produces pain and may even result in increased pressure on herniated discs.
Spinal decompression has solved these problems though. Although still technically traction machines, true spinal decompression systems pull very slowly and gradually in order to keep the muscles relaxed and avoid triggering spasm. In addition, the more advanced of the spinal decompression systems also have computer-controlled motors and have sensors to measure the body's resistance to treatment. If the body's muscles begin to contract and resist the treatment, the system will immediately reduce its pull and the body's muscles will relax again. The most advanced of these systems can respond to what the body is doing in an amazing 1/17th of a second. Since the body's reactions take place in approximately 1/5th of a second, these advanced spinal decompression systems can modify treatment before the muscles can spasm, allowing for comfortable herniated disc relief.
This ability to avoid the body's muscle spasm response allows spinal decompression systems to dramatically lower the pressure within a herniated disc. In fact, disc pressure is actually dropped into the negative pressure range, creating a suction that pulls the bulging disc material back towards the center of the disc and away from sensitive nerves. An additional effect is that nutrients and fluid are pulled into the disc to stimulate disc healing. Over time and repeated treatments, the herniated disc material is pulled back in, and the healing of the disc provides stabilization of the outer wall of the disc to prevent further bulging.
The frequency and duration of spinal decompression treatment will vary depending on the age and condition of the patient, the severity of the herniated disc, and the number of herniated discs. Spinal decompression can be used in both the lumbar and cervical spine very effectively.
Statistically, spinal decompression with the more advanced machines, and with appropriate patient selection has a success rate of 80-90%, and of those who are successfully treated, the results hold up well long-term in most cases. Given the success rate and the fact that the most common side-effect is some temporary post-treatment muscle soreness, spinal decompression is often the best option in herniated disc treatment.
Unfortunately, there has been a tendency toward overly aggressive advertising and hype, and in some cases, inappropriate application of spinal decompression in recent years by some health care practitioners. This has led to unrealistic expectations by patients and actions by regulatory agencies on advertising claims, leading to a damaged reputation for spinal decompression. While spinal decompression does represent a major advance in the treatment of herniated discs, it is not a cure-all, it is not 100% effective, and it is not appropriate for every patient.
Spinal decompression, when used appropriately, does produce enough improvement and disc healing in the vast majority of cases to allow patients to resume normal lives and return to most activities (even playing golf or tennis and working in the yard), but it does not restore a herniated disc to 100% normal. No treatment can. Even the still-experimental disc replacement surgery does not restore the spine to a normal condition and future back problems following disc replacement are to be expected. Overwork, poor posture, or failure to use good bending and lifting techniques can set the stage for a recurrence of disc problems no matter how good the results of treatment are initially.
With appropriate patient selection and by giving patients realistic expectations, spinal decompression providers can supply a very safe and effective treatment option for those with a herniated disc.
Dr. George Best provides spinal decompression in the San Antonio, Texas area. For additional resources concerning herniated discs, sciatica, or other degenerative disc disease, please visit his herniated disc website.
Article Source: EzineArticles, Herniated-Disc Treatments
By George Best
Herniated disc sufferers have traditionally had the treatment options of medication, physical therapy, spinal injections, and/or surgery, and because of the limited effectiveness of these approaches, many simply have had to learn to live with the pain. But a new option is now available and while not appropriate or effective for every person with a herniated disc, it does represent a huge leap in effectiveness and safety in treating herniated discs.
Spinal decompression is a new form of spinal traction. Regular traction has been used for a number of years to treat herniated discs, unfortunately with poor results in many cases, and with symptom aggravation occurring in some cases. The problem with regular traction is that it activates the body's muscle guarding response and can trigger muscle spasm, which produces pain and may even result in increased pressure on herniated discs.
Spinal decompression has solved these problems though. Although still technically traction machines, true spinal decompression systems pull very slowly and gradually in order to keep the muscles relaxed and avoid triggering spasm. In addition, the more advanced of the spinal decompression systems also have computer-controlled motors and have sensors to measure the body's resistance to treatment. If the body's muscles begin to contract and resist the treatment, the system will immediately reduce its pull and the body's muscles will relax again. The most advanced of these systems can respond to what the body is doing in an amazing 1/17th of a second. Since the body's reactions take place in approximately 1/5th of a second, these advanced spinal decompression systems can modify treatment before the muscles can spasm, allowing for comfortable herniated disc relief.
This ability to avoid the body's muscle spasm response allows spinal decompression systems to dramatically lower the pressure within a herniated disc. In fact, disc pressure is actually dropped into the negative pressure range, creating a suction that pulls the bulging disc material back towards the center of the disc and away from sensitive nerves. An additional effect is that nutrients and fluid are pulled into the disc to stimulate disc healing. Over time and repeated treatments, the herniated disc material is pulled back in, and the healing of the disc provides stabilization of the outer wall of the disc to prevent further bulging.
The frequency and duration of spinal decompression treatment will vary depending on the age and condition of the patient, the severity of the herniated disc, and the number of herniated discs. Spinal decompression can be used in both the lumbar and cervical spine very effectively.
Statistically, spinal decompression with the more advanced machines, and with appropriate patient selection has a success rate of 80-90%, and of those who are successfully treated, the results hold up well long-term in most cases. Given the success rate and the fact that the most common side-effect is some temporary post-treatment muscle soreness, spinal decompression is often the best option in herniated disc treatment.
Unfortunately, there has been a tendency toward overly aggressive advertising and hype, and in some cases, inappropriate application of spinal decompression in recent years by some health care practitioners. This has led to unrealistic expectations by patients and actions by regulatory agencies on advertising claims, leading to a damaged reputation for spinal decompression. While spinal decompression does represent a major advance in the treatment of herniated discs, it is not a cure-all, it is not 100% effective, and it is not appropriate for every patient.
Spinal decompression, when used appropriately, does produce enough improvement and disc healing in the vast majority of cases to allow patients to resume normal lives and return to most activities (even playing golf or tennis and working in the yard), but it does not restore a herniated disc to 100% normal. No treatment can. Even the still-experimental disc replacement surgery does not restore the spine to a normal condition and future back problems following disc replacement are to be expected. Overwork, poor posture, or failure to use good bending and lifting techniques can set the stage for a recurrence of disc problems no matter how good the results of treatment are initially.
With appropriate patient selection and by giving patients realistic expectations, spinal decompression providers can supply a very safe and effective treatment option for those with a herniated disc.
Dr. George Best provides spinal decompression in the San Antonio, Texas area. For additional resources concerning herniated discs, sciatica, or other degenerative disc disease, please visit his herniated disc website.
Article Source: EzineArticles, Herniated-Disc Treatments
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