Abstract:

BACKGROUND: To data, the determination of the curative effect on the patients with lumbar disc herniation mainly depends on the subjective symptom and physical examination, there still lacks a subjective evaluation method.
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the curative effect of the radiofrequency thermocoagulation combined with ozone injection for lumbar disc herniation evaluated by far-infrared thermography.
METHODS: Forty-six patients who got lumbar disc herniation and matched all the conditions for our clinical research were selected. The patients were randomly divided into the radiofrequency treatment group and conservative treatment group. Each group had 23 cases and was treated with radiofrequency thermocoagulation combined with ozone injection treatment and conservative treatment respectively. Thermography was taken before and after treatment to detect the difference of lower limbs’ temperature and compared with the effects assessed by visual analogue scale.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: The remarkable effective rates of radiofrequency treatment group and conservative treatment group were 52% and 17% respectively, and the effective rates were 96% and 65%. There was statistical difference of curative effect between the two groups (P < 0.05); the difference of temperature in thermograph was obviously decreased in radiofrequency treatment group after treatment compared to conservative treatment group (P = 0.00); the change in temperature before and after the treatment was significantly increased in radiofrequency treatment group compared to conservative treatment group (P = 0.00). Far-infrared thermography can be used as an objective indicator to evaluate the curative effect of radiofrequency thermocoagulation combined with ozone injection for lumbar disc herniation.