The effect of the plasma radiofrequency ablation combined with ozone nucleoplasty in the treatment of intractable discogenic pain

Objective:To explore the efficacy and safety of the plasma radiofrequency ablation combined with ozone nucleoplasty in the treatment of intractable discogenic pain.Methods:Eighty patients with discogenic pain were randomly divided into the plasma radiofrequency ablation combined with ozone nucleoplasty group(A group) and simple plasma radiofrequency ablation combined with ozone nucleoplasty(B group)(40 cases each group).The treatment efficacy in two groups were observed.The pain and clinical effect in two groups after operation were evaluated using visual analog scale(VAS),and Japanese orthopaedics association(JOA) low back pain score and modified Macnab evaluation criteria,respectively.Results:The nucleoplasty in all patients were successful completed,and no spinal cord and nerve root injury,intervertebral space infection were found.The scores of VAS and modified JOA in A groups after 3 month of operation were better than that in B group(P<0.05 to P<0.01).The excellent and good rates in A group after 3d and 3month of operation were better than those in B group.Conclusions:The short-peroid clinical effect of the low temperature plasma radiofrequency ablation combined with ozone nucleoplasty in the treatment of discogenic pain is good,which is a kind of safe,effective and minimally invasive treatment.