Objective To investigate the clinical efficacy of ozone injection combined with radiofrequency ablation (RFA) for the treatment of far lateral lumbar disc herniation (FLLDH). Methods A total of 60 patients with FLLDH, who were admitted to authors’ hospital during the period from March 2013 to March 2014, were randomly and equally divided into the study group (n=30) and the control group (n=30). Simple ozone injection treatment was employed for the patients of the control group, while ozone injection combined with radiofrequency ablation was adopted for the patients of the study group. The same other adjunctive medication was used in both groups. All the patients were followed up at one week as well as at one, 3 and 6 months after the treatment. The clinical effect and the complications of both g roups were recorded. Results Successful operation was obtained in all 60 patients, no perioperative complications occurred, and the technical success rate was 100%. The excellent clinical results evaluated at one week, and one, 3 and 6 months after the treatment in the control group and in the study group were 73.3%, 76.7%, 70%, 60% and 70%, 76.7%, 83.3%, 90% respectively. The 3-month and 6-month clinical results of the study group were significantly better than those of the control group. Conclusion For the treatment of FLLDH, ozone injection combined with radiofrequency ablation is safe and effective. This technique should be recommended in clinical practice.

Objective To investigate the clinical utility of iFlow color flow coding imaging technology in the diagnosis of lower extremity arteriosclerosis obliterans(LEASO).Methods A total of 106 patients diagnosed with LEASO between March 2022 and October 2023 were included as the LEASO group,while 80 volunteers without arterial disease but matched with LEASO were selected as the control group.Both groups underwent digital subtrac-tion angiography(DSA),and iFlow color flow coding imaging technology was employed to assess time to peak(TTP)in the femoral head and ankle regions.The difference value of TTP between these two regions was calculated,along with measurement of ankle-brachial index(ABI).Results There were no significant differences in age,sex,body mass index,smoking history,hypertension history,diabetes history,coronary heart disease history and TTP in the femoral head between the two groups(P＞0.05).However,the TTP in the ankle area and the difference values of TTP in the LEASO group were significantly higher than those in the control group(P＜0.05).The com-parison of TTP in the femoral head region among patients with different Rutherford classifications and between patients with left and right lesions in the LEASO group showed no statistical significance(P＞0.05).Furthermore,a negative correlation was observed between Rutherford classification and both TTP values in ankle joint region as well as TTP difference value(P＜0.05),indicating that higher Rutherford classification is associated with lower TTP values.Pearson test results revealed a significant negative correlation between TTP values and ankle joint region/TTP difference value of LEASO patients with ABI(P＜0.05).Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis demonstrated that both TTP values in ankle joint region and TTP difference value are effective diagnostic indicators for LEASO;moreover,Delong test indicated that area under ROC curve for TTP difference value was significantly higher than that for TTP value alone(P＜0.05)Conclusion iFlow color flow coding imaging technology enables quantitative assessment of both TPP values within ankle joint region as well as their differences which can be utilized for diagnosis of LEASO.