ABSTRACT

Knee osteoarthritis is treated medically and intra or periarticular injections are added to the treatment if needed. Intraarticular medical ozone treatment have been applied for a long time but there is only limited literature. The aim of this study was to investigate pain scores of knee osteoarthritis patients treated with intraarticular ozone and also short and long term patient satisfaction.

In symptomatic grade 2 and 3 gonarthrosis patients, hospital records were reviewed; intraarticular ozone treated patients’ pain scores with numeric rating scale (NRS) before and after the treatment were evaluated. Patient satisfaction was also evaluated after the treatment and later in the follow-up period.

There was significant reduction of pain scores after intraarticular ozone treatment. This was together with patient satisfaction. Although 78.1% of patients were satisfied after the treatment, at 6th month 37% were satisfied with the treatment. In later period, patient satisfaction decreased due to recurrent pain and functional disability.

The short term efficacy of ozone treatment was shown in this retrospective study. Treatment of gonarthrosis is important in the elderly population and prospective long term studies by evaluating the patient as a whole with weight control and lifestyle changes are needed.