COMBINED TREATMENT OF RHIZATHROSIS WITH LOCAL INFILTRATIONS OF OXYGEN-OZONE AND TOPICAL APPLICATIONS OF ALFA-LIPOIC ACID, CAPSAICIN, CANNABIDIOL, BETA-CARYOPHYLLENE, AND MYRRH

G. Tabaracci¹, M. Moretti², G.M. Ottaviani³, A.M. Repossini⁴ and M. Bonetti⁵

¹Specialist Orthopedic Clinic San Rocco Montichiari, Brescia, Italy;
²Specialist Orthopedic Clinic Oberdan, Brescia, Italy;
³Department of Emergency Spedali Civili di Brescia, Brescia, Italy;
⁴Department of Orthopaedics II Auxological Capitanio Milano, Milano, Italy;
⁵Department of Neuroradiology Clinical Institute Città di Brescia, Brescia, Italy

Correspondence to:
Gabriele Tabaracci, MD
Poliambulatorio Specialistico San Rocco,
via Monsignor GV Moreni 95, 25018 Montichiari Brescia, Italy
e-mail: tabaracci@sanrocco.it

Received: 28 January 2024 Accepted: 11 March 2024

ISSN 2975-044X (online) ISSN 2038-4106 (print) Copyright © by BIOLIFE 2024 This publication and/or article is for individual use only and may not be further reproduced without written permission from the copyright holder. Unauthorized reproduction may result in financial and other penalties. Disclosure: All authors report no conflicts of interest relevant to this article.

ABSTRACT

                We describe our experience in the combined treatment of rhizarthrosis with local oxygen-ozone infiltrations and topical applications of alpha-lipoic acid, capsaicin, cannabidiol, beta-caryophyllene, and myrrh. From March 2022 to December 2023, we selected 58 patients with a diagnosis of rhizarthrosis confirmed by both clinical examination and radiographic findings with standard radiograms of the metacarpal trapezius joint. We treated 43 females and 15 males aged between 49 and 79 years (mean 61.9). Of the patients included, 13 treatments of rhizarthrosis were carried out in both hands (22.41%). The patients included in the study were treated with oxygen-ozone (O₂-O₃) infiltrations of the trapezium metacarpal joint – six to ten treatments every two weeks – followed by topical treatment by self-applying the cream on the affected parts three times a day, massaging delicately until completely absorbed. Clinical outcomes were measured using the Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand (DASH) questionnaire and the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) scale. The analysis of the results of the DASH questionnaire showed improvement in the perceived disability associated with the symptoms (M = 81.00; SD = 1.77 pre-treatment; M = 17.94; SD = 1.60 after treatment). The VAS questionnaire also showed satisfactory clinical results after treatment (M = 8.31; SD = 0.73 pre-treatment; M = 2.90; SD = 0.73 after treatment). Of 58 patients, 6 (10.34%) reported no benefit and were candidates for possible surgery. These findings suggest that oxygen-ozone therapy with topical applications of alpha-lipoic acid, capsaicin, cannabidiol, beta-caryophyllene, and myrrh can be considered an ideal treatment for rhizarthrosis.

KEYWORDS: oxygen ozone, ozone therapy, rhizarthrosis; thumb osteoarthritis; trapeziometacarpal joint