[Effect of acupotomy on the fat infiltration degree of lumbar multifidus muscle in patients with lumbar disc herniation after percutaneous transforaminal endoscopic discectomy].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of acupotomy on the fat infiltration degree of lumbar multifidus muscle (LMM) in patients with lumbar disc herniation after percutaneous transforaminal endoscopic discectomy (PTED). METHODS: A total of 104 patients with lumbar disc herniation treated with PTED were randomly divided into an observation group (52 cases, 3 cases dropped off) and a control group (52 cases, 4 cases dropped off). Patients of both groups received rehabilitation training of two weeks 48 h after PTED treatment. The observation group was treated with acupotomy (L3-L5 Jiaji [EX-B 2]) once within 24 h after PTED. In the two groups, the fat infiltration cross sectional area (CSA) of LMM was compared before and 6 months after PTED, the visual analogue scale (VAS) score and Oswestry disability index (ODI) score were observed before and 1, 6 months after PTED. The correlation between fat infiltration CSA of LMM in each segment and VAS score was analyzed. RESULTS: Six months after PTED, the fat infiltration CSA of LMM in L4/L5 and the total L3-S1 segments of the observation group was lower than that before PTED (P<0.05), and the fat infiltration CSA of LMM in L4/L5 of the observation group was lower than the control group (P<0.01). One month after PTED, the ODI and VAS scores of the two groups were lower than those before PTED (P<0.01), and those in the observation group were lower than the control group (P<0.05). Six months after PTED, the ODI and VAS scores of the two groups were lower than those before PTED and 1 month after PTED (P<0.01), and those in the observation group were lower than the control group (P<0.01). There was a positive correlation between the fat infiltration CSA of LMM in the total L3-S1 segments and VAS scores in the two groups before PTED (r = 0.64, P<0.01). Six months after PTED, there was no correlation between the fat infiltration CSA of LMM in each segment and VAS scores in the two groups (P>0.05). CONCLUSION: Acupotomy can improve the fat infiltration degree of LMM, pain symptoms and activities of daily living in patients with lumbar disc herniation after PTED.

[Effects of electroacupuncture at "Zusanli" (ST 36) on hepatic ischemic injury in rats with delayed fluid replacement after hemorrhagic shock].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of electroacupuncture at "Zusanli" (ST 36) on the volume of hepatic blood flow, water ratio and plasma alanine aminotransferase (ALT) in rats with delayed fluid replacement after hemorrhagic shock and to provide the references for electroacupuncture at Zusanli (ST 36) in treating hemorrhagic shock. METHODS: Forty SD rats with hemorrhagic shock induced by bloodletting 40% of whole blood volume were randomly divided into a hemorrhage with no treatment (NT) group, an immediate fluid replacement (IFR) group, an electroacupuncture at Zusanli (ST 36) and delayed fluid resuscitation (EA/DFR) group and a sham electroacupuncture and delayed fluid replacement (SEA/DFR) group, 10 rats in each group. No treatment was performed in NT group. IFR group was treated with fluid replacement at 10 minutes after blood loss, and EA/DFR group was treated with electroacupuncture at "Zusanli" (ST 36) at 10 minutes after blood loss, while non-acupoint was punctured in SEA/DFR group. Two EA groups were received delayed fluid replacement at 3 hours after blood loss. The volume of hepatic blood flow and ALT before blood loss and 3 h and 12 h after blood loss, and water ratio 12 h after blood loss were measured. RESULTS: After blood loss, all parameters in IFR group and EA/DFR group were improved significantly in contrast with those in NT group (all P < 0.05). There was no significant difference between SEA/DFR group and NT group. Three hours after blood loss, the hepatic blood flow of IFR group was significant higher than those of NT group, EA/DFR group and SEA/DFR group (all P < 0.05), while the plasma ALT of IFR group was significant lower than those of NT group, EA/DFR group and SEA/DFR group (all P < 0.05), and the plasma ALT of EA/DFR group was lower than those of NT group and SEA/DFR group (both P < 0.05), the hepatic blood flow of EA/DFR group showed no significant difference compared with that of SEA/DFR group (P > 0.05). Twelve hours after blood loss, the plasma ALT and the water ratio of EA/DFR group and IFR group were significant lower than those of NT group and SEA/DFR group (all P < 0.05), and the hepatic blood flow of EA/DFR group and IFR group was significant higher than those of NT group and SEA/DFR group (all P < 0.05), while the plasma ALT of IFR group was significant lower than that of EA/DFR group (P < 0.05), and the hepatic blood flow of IFR group was significant higher than that of EA/DFR group (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Electroacupuncture at "Zusanli" (ST 36) has a protective effects for hepatic ischemic injury in rats with delayed fluid replacement after hemorrhagic shock.

[Effect of electroacupuncture on inflammatory injury induced by intestinal ischemia/reperfusion in rats].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the protective effect of electroacupuncture (EA) at "Zusanli" (ST 36) on inflammatory injury induced by intestinal ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) in rats. METHODS: Forty-eight Wistar rats were randomly divided into a sham injury group, a model group, an EA group and a sham EA group, 12 rats in each group. Intestinal I/R rat models were established by method of clamping with occlusion of superior mesenteric artery (SMA) for 45 min followed by reperfusion. The EA group was treated with EA (2.5 mA, 2 Hz/100 Hz, 0.5 h) at "Zusanli" (ST 36) 30 min before reperfusion, and at the same time, the sham EA group was treated with fast insertion at two non-meridian acupoints on skin surface (2 cm horizontally away from linea alba abdominis and about 5 cm paralleled to cartilago ensiformis downward). No interventions were added on the sham injury group and the model group. The degree of pathological injury in intestines, water rate of intestines, diamine oxidase (DAO) activity and intestinal mucosal blood flow (IMBF) were examined at 1 h and 3 h after reperfusion. RESULTS: At 1 h and 3 h after reperfusion, the intestinal pathological injury in EA group was significantly attenuated compared with that in model group, and the intestinal water rate of (74.00 +/- 2.11)% and (78.78 +/- 0.80)% in EA group were significantly lower than (80.69 +/- 1.66)% and (83.17 +/- 2.08)% in model group (both P < 0.01), but DAO of (68.83 +/- 4.31) U/L and (47.84 +/- 5.57) U/L as well as IMBF of (152 +/- 5.8) PU and (139.8 +/- 6.1) PU in EA group were significantly higher than DAO of (32.86 +/- 4.72) U/L, (17.01 +/- 2.96) U/L as well as IMBF of (124.7 +/- 8.3) PU and (89.4 +/- 13.2) PU in model group (all P < 0.01). Meanwhile, the above mentioned changes in sham EA group showed no significant differences compared with those in model group (all P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Electroacupuncture can not only reduce the inflammatory injury induced by intestinal IR but also increase intestinal blood supply so as to protect the intestine function.