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Effect of Ozone Therapy on Epidural Fibrosis in Rats
Ekin Kaya Simsek1, Fikret Sahinturk2, Eylem Gul3
1Department of Orthopaedic and Traumatology, Baskent University Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.
World Neurosurgery
|March 25, 2023
Summary
Medical ozone therapy effectively reduces epidural fibrosis and inflammation after laminectomy. Both systemic and local ozone treatments showed benefits, with systemic ozone therapy demonstrating superior anti-inflammatory effects.
Area of Science:
- Regenerative Medicine
- Surgical Innovation
- Biomedical Engineering
Background:
- Epidural fibrosis is a common complication following laminectomy, leading to persistent post-operative pain and neurological deficits.
- Current treatment options for epidural fibrosis are limited and often invasive.
- Medical ozone therapy presents a novel therapeutic approach with potential anti-inflammatory and regenerative properties.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the efficacy of medical ozone therapy in preventing epidural fibrosis after laminectomy.
- To evaluate the impact of systemic ozone therapy (SOT) and local ozone therapy (LOT) on inflammation and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression.
- To compare the effects of SOT and LOT on the development of epidural fibrosis in a rat model.
Main Methods:
- 25 Sprague-Dawley male rats underwent L3-L4 laminectomy and were divided into control, SOT, and LOT groups.
- Ozone therapy (15 mL, 30 μg/mL) was administered intraperitoneally (SOT) or subcutaneously (LOT) four times post-surgery.
- Vascular endothelial growth factor expression, inflammation, and epidural fibrosis were assessed via histopathology.
Main Results:
- Systemic ozone therapy significantly reduced VEGF expression compared to the control group (P=0.021).
- Both SOT and LOT groups exhibited reduced inflammation compared to controls (P=0.004 and P=0.024, respectively), with SOT showing greater efficacy (P=0.008).
- Histopathological evaluation revealed significantly less epidural fibrosis in both SOT and LOT groups compared to the control group (P=0.018 and P=0.037, respectively).
Conclusions:
- Medical ozone therapy, both systemic and local, is effective in preventing epidural fibrosis after laminectomy.
- Systemic ozone therapy demonstrates superior anti-inflammatory effects and comparable efficacy in reducing fibrosis to local ozone therapy.
- Ozone therapy represents a safe and potentially alternative method for managing post-laminectomy epidural fibrosis.
