Cervical Spondylodiscitis After Oxygen-Ozone Therapy for Treatment of a Cervical Disc Herniation: a Case Report and Review of the Literature
Andrés-Cano P, Vela T, Cano C, García G, et al. HSS Journal, 2016.
- Study type
- Case report
- People studied
- 1 person
- Population
- Previously healthy 51-year-old woman given C6-C7 intradiscal oxygen-ozone chemonucleolysis for a cervical disc herniation at an outside hospital
- Published
- 2016, HSS Journal
- Identifiers
- PMID 27703423, DOI 10.1007/s11420-016-9500-1
What the authors reported
Ten days after C6-C7 intradiscal oxygen-ozone chemonucleolysis, the patient had severe sepsis from C6-C7 spondylodiscitis, with an epidural abscess from C4 to T1 compressing the cord. Beta-hemolytic streptococcus grew, and the authors suspect a puncture through the esophagus. After drainage, laminectomies, and two fusions for kyphosis and non-union, she was satisfied at 1 year.
What limits this result
Single case report from 2005. The route of contamination, a transesophageal puncture, is the authors' inference from the organism found, and the procedure details come from the patient's account; the ozone concentration and volume used at the outside hospital are not reported. The literature review is narrative, without a stated search method.
Harms reported after ozone therapy, and studies of how ozone exposure affects health. One study rarely settles a medical question; our guides weigh each paper against the rest of the evidence.
How the study was done
- Design
- Case report and review of the literature
Cervical Spondylodiscitis After Oxygen-Ozone Therapy for Treatment of a Cervical Disc Herniation: a Case Report and Review of the Literature
- Setting
- Orthopaedic Surgery and Traumatology Department, Hospital Universitario Puerta del Mar, Cádiz, Spain (where the work was performed); the injection was given at an outside hospital
- Read from
- Read from the full text of the paper. Read on October 2, 2026.
Study arms
| Group | Participants | What they received |
|---|---|---|
| Single patient | Not reported | C6-C7 intradiscal oxygen-ozone chemonucleolysis at an outside hospital for a cervical disc herniation, ten days before admission |
Source: Full text on PubMed Central
What it measured
- Presentation
- Severe sepsis secondary to C6-C7 spondylodiscitis
In September 2005, a previously healthy 51-year-old female presented to our institution with severe sepsis secondary to C6–C7 spondylodiscitis.
- Blood tests on admission
- White cell count 57,000/mm3, ESR 112 mm/h, CRP 21 mg/L
Laboratory findings showed leukocytosis (WBC, 57,000/mm 3 ) with elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR, 112 mm/h) and C-reactive protein (CRP, 21 mg/L).
- MRI on admission
- Spinal epidural abscess from C4 to T1, C6-C7 spondylodiscitis, prevertebral abscess, and spinal cord compression
magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed extensive spinal epidural abscess (SEA) extending from C4–T1 anteriorly, C6–C7 spondylodiscitis, prevertebral abscess, and spinal cord compression
- Hospital day 2
- Progressive, global neurological deficit with diffuse motor weakness (grade 2-3/5)
- Emergency surgery
- Urgent abscess drainage and posterior decompressive laminectomies from C4 to T1
The neurosurgeon on call performed urgent abscess drainage and posterior decompressive laminectomies at levels C4–T1.
- Microbiology
- Beta-hemolytic streptococcus from the epidural tissue; a transesophageal puncture during the ozone procedure was suspected
- Two weeks after discharge
- Returned with significant neck pain, without neurological deficit or fever
- Six months after the anterior fusion
- Non-union of the anterior C7-T1 fusion with kyphotic deformity
Plain radiograph was obtained and showed a nonconsolidation of the anterior C7–T1 fusion with kyphotic deformity
Source: Full text on PubMed Central
Safety as reported
Cervical spondylodiscitis as a complication of oxygen-ozone therapy, followed by cervical instability that the authors attribute likely to the wide laminectomyWe present a case of cervical spondylodiscitis that occurred as a complication of O3-O2 therapy for a cervical disc herniation that manifested as cervical mechanic failure likely due to wide laminectomy.
Source: Full text on PubMed Central
Follow-up
1 year: improved neurological function, no worsening of the kyphotic deformity, and a satisfactory fusionAt 1-year follow-up, the patient reported improvement of her neurological function and follow-up radiograph revealed no deterioration of kyphotic deformity and a satisfactory cervical fusion
Source: Full text on PubMed Central
Funding and conflicts
The authors declare no conflict of interest
Source: Full text on PubMed Central
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