Publications by authors named "Jim Steppan"
Purpose: To elucidate the mechanism of action of intradiscal oxygen-ozone therapy for herniated intervertebral disc therapy.
Methods: Ozone's mechanism of action was investigated using 3 approaches: mathematical models of intervertebral disc space to explore the relationship between disc pressure and volume; ozonolysis experiments using glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) from a Chinese hamster ovary cell line that were similar in composition to GAGs found in human nucleus pulposus; and experiments in which live Yucatan miniature pigs received various concentrations of percutaneous, image-guided intradiscal oxygen-ozone treatment and were examined (after sacrifice) with histology and semiquantitative analysis of disc cytokine concentrations.
Results: Engineering calculations support observations that a small (6%) disc volume reduction can result in considerable (9.
Purpose: The primary objective of this pilot study was to compare pain and function scores from patients before and after an ozone injection in combination with steroids and bupivacaine to treat herniated discs. A secondary objective was to correct some of the methodological weaknesses of some previously published ozone studies.
Methods: Fifty patients were enrolled; 1-3 mL of 2 wt% ozone in 98 wt% oxygen was delivered into the nucleus pulposus, and 7-9 mL into the adjacent paravertebral tissues.
Purpose: To determine statistically significant effects of oxygen/ozone treatment of herniated discs with respect to pain, function, and complication rate.
Materials And Methods: Random-effects metaanalyses were used to estimate outcomes for oxygen/ozone treatment of herniated discs. A literature search provided relevant studies that were weighted by a study quality score.