Efficacy of Acupoint Catgut Embedding for Abdominal Obesity Based on “Four Seas” and “Qi Street” Theory: A Randomized Controlled Crossover Trial

Published: 12 May 2025| Version 1 | DOI: 10.17632/d9hgfv8xwf.1
Contributors:
Xiao Wu, shijing lian, Yanqiu Xu, Lan Zhang, Xiaoyan Pan, Jing Luo, Houping Xu, Jianwei Liu, Langtao Liu, Xun Zhang

Description

trial data

Files

Steps to reproduce

Interventions: Patients are placed in a supine or prone position, and acupoints are marked and then disinfected, with towels laid out. After washing hands, the acupuncturist puts on disposable sterile gloves to ensure a sterile working environment. A PDO absorbable surgical suture (#2-0, 1cm, produced by Hangzhou Aipu Medical Equipment AO., LTD., production batch number: D00774) was inserted into the slender tube of a disposable thread-embedding needle (0.8mm×60mm, produced by Jiangxi Gantus Medical Equipment AO., LTD.). With the left finger tightening or pinching the skin at the designated acupoints, the acupuncturist gripped the needle in their right hand at a vertical angle of 90° to the skin surface and swiftly inserted the needle beneath the skin to a depth of 2cm beneath the surface. They then advanced the suture and withdrew the needle tube (ref. 25). Finally, an assistant pressed the pinhole with a sterilized cotton ball in a timely manner for 30 seconds to ensure hemostasis. The patients were allowed to leave after 30 minutes, provided there were no obvious discomforts. Intervention method C was based on routine acupoint selection experience, encompassing acupoints of bilateral Tianshu (ST25), Daheng (SP15), Shuidao (ST28), Daimai (GB26), as well as Zhongwan (RN12), Shuifen (RN9), and Qihai (RN6), totaling 11 acupoints. Intervention method T was based on the traditional Chinese theories of the “Four Seas” and “Qi Street,” and included additional acupoints of bilateral Zusanli (ST36), Ganshu (BL18), Pishu (BL20), and Shenshu (BL23) on top of the acupoints used in method C, totaling 19 acupoints. The same ACE therapy was administered to all patients, with the only variation being the choice of acupoints.

Institutions

  • Southwest Medical University

Categories

Acupuncture, Obesity

Funders

  • Sichuan Provincial Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine
    Grant ID: grant number 2024MS213
  • Sichuan Provincial Cadre Health Care Research Project
    Grant ID: grant number 2022-2001

Licence