Severe Spinal Surgery Infection and Local Ozone Therapy as Complementary Treatment: A Case Report

Background Infection is a serious surgical complication that significantly increases morbidity and mortality rates as well as health care expenses. Increased bacterial resistance to antibiotics makes the treatment of such events even more troublesome.

Objective To report on a surgical infection case treated with ozone as a complementary therapy.

Methods and Materials A female, 65 years old, submitted to a complex surgical procedure for adult kyphotic deformity correction that presented with early postsurgical infection. The patient was treated with revision surgery and antibiotics that improved the condition but were unable to delete the infection. Ozone, in its gaseous form, was injected subcutaneously and paravertebrally twice weekly for 3 weeks.

Results After 3 weeks of treatment, the wound healed completely. Follow-up visits and laboratory exams for up to 1 year after surgery showed no recurrence of infection.

Conclusions Although just a single case, topical ozone therapy for surgical infections showed promising potential in this specific case.