OxyFile #63

TI:  Further Experimental Investigations on the Therapy of Gas 
     Gangrene with Ozone and Oxygen

DT:  February 1976

AU:  Stanek VG., Mittermayer H., Rotter M., Gruber H.

SO:  Wiener Klinische Wochenschrift 88(4):141-4, 1976 Feb 20

AB:  In continuation of a recently-published investigation on the 
     effect of intramuscular injections of an ozone-oxygen 
     mixture on experimental gas gangrene in the guinea pig, 2 
     additional experiments were performed in order to establish 
     the efficacy of the therapy when given twice daily instead 
     of only once.  Furthermore, the effect of an analogous 
     therapy was investigated with the use of pure oxygen.  The 
     ozone-oxygen therapy reduced the death rate from 100% in 
     untreated control animals to 73.6 and 70.0%, respectively, 
     in the 2 series of experiments.  The median survival times 
     were prolonged from 0.56 and 1.33 days to 5.50 and 6.66 
     days.  The use of oxygen twice daily reduced the death rates 
     significantly even further to 57.0 and 47.9%.  With this 
     therapy the median survival time was increased to 8 and more 
     than 12 days.  The differences in therapeutic effect of the 
     2 gases were not, however, statistically significant.  On 
     account of its simple applicability previous experiments on 
     animals it is proposed that this therapy be employed also in 
     cases of human gas gangrene.  In addition, the bactericidal 
     effect of CaC12, as used in this experimental study, on 
     vegetative forms of Clostridia is demonstrated.