OxyFile #561

The Use of Ozone in Orthopedics

Acute and Chronic Painful Diseases of the Joints and Diseases of the 
Periarticular Region

Dr. med. C.-H. Siemsen, Buxtehude (Germany)
Dipl.-Ing. BMT

Specialist for orthopedics, sports medicine and chirotherapy,
Lecturer for biomedical technology at the Polytechnical College, 
Hamburg.


Abstract:

The application of medical ozone in acute and chronic painful 
diseases of the joints is an alternative method of treatment for 
obtaining rapid pain relief, decongestion, subsidence of effusions, a 
reduction in temperature and an increase in motility.  In addition, a 
number of therapy-resistant painful diseases of the periarticular 
region were treated in this way for the first time.

Knee and shoulder joints presenting acute and chronic pathological 
conditions received intraarticular treatment in the following cases:

1.  activated gonarthrosis (in the inflammatory stage)
2.  acute diseases of the shoulder joint with partially suppressed 
    motile function (stiffness of the shoulder and shoulder area)
3.  chronic diseases of the shoulder joint with calcification and 
    painful restrictions of movement in the final stage.


Periarticular treatment was carried out on elbow and hip joints 
diagnosed as follows:

1.  lateral and medial epicondylitis of the humerus (tennis or 
    athlete's elbow)
2.  chronic adductor insertion endopathia (footballer's hip)
3.  acute and chronic bursitis trochanteria (e.g. in malformations of 
    the hip).


The study included:

1.  9 patients (male and female) presenting an acute activated 
    gonarthrosis
2.  30 patients (male and female) with acute and chronic conditions 
    in the periarticular region of the shoulder joint
3.  4 patients (male and female) with acute and chronic insertion 
    tendinitis at the elbow
4.  5 patients (male and female) with acute and chronic insertion 
    tendopathia and/or bursitis at the hip joint
5.  9 patients (male and female) with systemic orthopedic conditions 
    and secondary diseases affecting the postural and locomotory 
    apparatus.

The total quantity applied was administered intraarticularly at the 
knee joint following previous puncture of the effusion.  Proportional 
to the degree of activation of the affected structures, injections 
were administered either intraarticularly, subacromially or at the 
tuberculum majus in the case of the shoulder joint.  In the case of 
elbow and hip joints, the affected structure received periarticular 
treatment.

The results are presented both subjectively and objectively.


Authors address:

Dr. med. C.-H. Siemsen
Arzt fur Orthopadie
Westfleth 1
21614 Buxtehude (Germany)


Date: 1995