A cohort study (patients on the waiting list for surgery due to herniated disc) will be carried out, to which the treatment with ozone will be offered, without giving up the planned surgical intervention.~The main objective of this prospective, post-authorization follow-up study is to estimate the cost-effectiveness of ozone therapy (compared to standard care) in patients with disc herniation waiting for surgery (by microdiscectomy). Besides utilities of patients with disc herniation on a waiting list for surgery will be estimated, social/economic burden of disc herniation will be quantified and a decision aid will be developed and applied.~The main outcome measures are Direct hospital cost, Percentage of executed surgeries and Change in sciatic pain. In addition, data on health-related quality of life and resource utilization will be collected which will permit to estimate the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER), comparing incremental costs and quality adjusted life years (QALY).~The variables will be collected at the beginning, on the day of treatment and at 1, 3, 6, 12 and 24 months. The enrollment period will be 24 months. The follow-up period will be 24 months.~The results of the study will allow a better understanding of the value of ozone therapy in the management of patients on the waiting list for herniated disc surgery. In addition, it will contribute to the development of a more patient-centered health system.
The main objective of this study is to estimate the cost-effectiveness of ozone therapy in patients on the waiting list for surgery due to disc herniation.