• Journal of Acupuncture Research
• /
• v.36 no.3
• /
• pp.166-171
• /
• 2019

This study aimed to report the effect of Korean medical treatment including miniscalpel acupuncture on 2 patients who underwen tsurgery for rotator cuff tear. They were treated for almost 4 weeks at the Department of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Dong-Eui University Korean Medicine Hospital. Visual analog scale (VAS), and range of movement (ROM) were used to evaluate treatment effects. In both patients, shoulder pain and restriction of shoulder joint movement improved after miniscalpel acupuncture treatment. In Case 1, shoulder pain decreased from a VAS score 8 to a VAS score 3, and ROM of the shoulder improved from flexion $100^{\circ}$ to $160^{\circ}$, extension $10^{\circ}$ to $30^{\circ}$, abduction $90^{\circ}$ to 1$30^{\circ}$, adduction $10^{\circ}$ to $40^{\circ}$, internal rotation $10^{\circ}$ to $50^{\circ}$, and external rotation $10^{\circ}$ to $50^{\circ}$. In Case 2, shoulder pain, which was rated a VAS score 8 at first-visit, disappeared, and ROM of the shoulder recovered to normal range. These results suggest miniscalpel acupuncture may contribute to the recovery process after rotator cuff tear surgery.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
• /
• v.33 no.2
• /
• pp.67-74
• /
• 2016

Objectives : The Knee degenerative osteoarthritis patients are not satisfied with the conventional therapies of KDOA, which results in the use of alternative therapies. The miniscalpel acupuncture is effective in treating chronic soft tissue, releasing contractures. However, there is little scientific evidence supporting the use of miniscalpel acupuncture in knee degenerative osteoarthritis. This study was designed to obtain basic data for a further large-scale trial as well as provide information about the feasibility of miniscalpel acupuncture in knee degenerative osteoarthritis patients. Methods : We describe the protocol for a randomized controlled pilot clinical trial of 5 weeks duration. Twenty patients will be recruited and randomly allocated to two treatment groups: miniscalpel acupuncture treatment(experimental group); and acupuncture and electro-acupuncture treatment(control group). Miniscalpel acupuncture will be performed once with a 1-week interval for 3 weeks. Electro-acupuncture will be administered twice per week for a period of 3 weeks. The primary outcomes will be measured by visual analogue scale and range of motion. The secondary outcomes will be short-form McGill Pain Questionnaire and Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index. Both primary and secondary outcomes will be measured at baseline and at 1, 2, 3 and 5 weeks(i.e. 2 weeks after treatment completion). Conclusions : This pilot study will provide a basic foundation for a future large-scale trial as well as information about the feasibility of miniscalpel acupuncture in knee degenerative osteoarthritis.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
• /
• v.34 no.3
• /
• pp.139-152
• /
• 2017

Objectives : This study reports the clinical effects of miniscalpel needle therapy in patients with carpal tunnel or tarsal tunnel syndrome. Methods : Three patients with carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) or tarsal tunnel syndrome (TTS) (first case, patient with CTS and TTS; second case, patient with CTS; and third case, patient with TTS) were treated with miniscalpel needle (MSN) therapy and integrative Korean medical treatment. The Numeric Rating Scale (NRS), Neuropathic Pain Scale (NPS), Boston scale score, and AOFAS (American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society) ankle-hindfoot score were measured. Results : In general, outcome measures after treatment showed improvement in all cases. In the first case (CTS and TTS), scores on the NRS, NPS, and Boston scale decreased, and AOFAS ankle-hind foot scores increased. In addition, Tinel's sign showed improvement. In the second case (CTS), scores on the NRS, NPS, and Boston scale, and Tinel's sign, were decreased. In the third case (TTS), scores on the NRS and NPS, and Tinel's sign, showed improvement, and AOFAS ankle-hind foot scores were increased. Conclusion : These results suggest that MSN therapy has a meaningful clinical effect in CTS and TTS.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
• /
• v.34 no.3
• /
• pp.131-138
• /
• 2017

Objectives : This study examined the effects of miniscalpel acupuncture (MA) in three patients with cervicogenic headache. Methods : Patients were treated with MA, which was performed once per week for three weeks. A headache score, visual analogue scale (VAS), and neck disability index (NDI) were used for the evaluation of treatment effects. Results : In cases 1, 2, and 3, the headache score decreased from 4 to 1, 3 to 0, and 3 to 1, respectively. The VAS score decreased from 8.5 to 1.9, 5 to 0.4, and 5.3 to 2 in cases 1, 2, and 3, respectively. The NDI score decreased from 28 to 4, 50 to 4, and 38 to 16 in cases 1, 2, and 3, respectively. Conclusion : MA appears to be effective for the treatment of cervicogenic headache. Further data should be collected and a comparative study using other treatment methods should be performed.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
• /
• v.21 no.3
• /
• pp.151-158
• /
• 2018

Objectives: We investigated the efficacy and safety of miniscalpel acupuncture (MA) for knee osteoarthritis (KOA) in an assessor-blinded randomized controlled pilot trial; this would provide information for a large-scale randomized controlled trial. Methods: Participants (n = 24) were recruited and randomly allocated to the MA group (experimental) or acupuncture group (control). The MA group received treatment once a week for 3 weeks (total of 3 treatments), while the acupuncture group received treatment two times per week for 3 weeks (total of 6 treatments). The primary outcome was pain as assessed by a visual analogue scale (VAS). The secondary outcomes (intensity of current pain, stiffness, and physical function) were assessed using the short-form McGill Pain Questionnaire (SF-MPQ) and Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC). Assessments were performed at baseline, 1, 2, and 3 during treatment and at week 5 (2 weeks after the end of treatment). Results: Of the 24 participants, 23 completed the study. Both groups showed significant improvements in VAS, SF-MPQ, and WOMAC. However, there were no significant differences between the MA and acupuncture groups. No serious adverse event occurred and blood test results were within normal limits. Conclusion: Our results suggest that although both MA and acupuncture provide similar effects with regard to pain control in patients with KOA, MA may be more effective in providing pain relief because the same relief was obtained with fewer treatments. A large-scale clinical study is warranted to further clarify these findings.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
• /
• v.37 no.1
• /
• pp.14-23
• /
• 2020

Objectives : We investigated the efficacy and safety of miniscalpel acupuncture (MA) treatment combined with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) for chronic neck pain (CNP) in an assessor-blinded randomized controlled pilot trial to establish a basis for larger-scale randomized controlled studies on this subject. Methods : Participants (n=36) were recruited and randomly allocated to the MA group, NSAIDs and combined treatment group. The MA group received MA three times over three weeks. The NSAIDs group was administered orally with zaltoprofen 80mg t.i.d. over three weeks. The combined treatment group received MA and zaltoprofen in the same manner as MA and NSAIDs groups. The primary outcome was pain as assessed by a visual analogue scale (VAS) and the secondary outcomes were assessed using the Neck Disability index (NDI), EuroQol 5-dimension questionnaire (EQ-5D), and Patients' Global Impression of Change scale (PGIC). Assessments were made at week 0 (baseline), 1, 2, 3 (primary end point) during treatment and at week 7 (4 weeks after the end of treatment). Results : 35 participants completed the study. No serious adverse event occurred and blood test results were within normal limits. The improvement of VAS and NDI was significantly greater in combined and MA group than that in NSAIDs group (p<0.017). The combined group showed better outcomes in EQ-5D at visit 2 and 5, in PGIC at visit 4 than the NSAIDs group (p<0.017). No significant differences were found between combined and MA group. Conclusions : Our results suggest that both combined and MA group can be more effective in improving pain control than NSAIDs group. A large-scale clinical study is warranted to further clarify these findings.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
• /
• v.35 no.4
• /
• pp.226-237
• /
• 2018

Background: This study examined the characteristics and prognosis of patients admitted to the Dunsan Korean medicine hospital for treatment of herniated intervertebral disc (HIVD) or spinal stenosis with Miniscalpel needle therapy (MSN). Methods: Patients were admitted to the Dunsan Korean medicine hospital from January 01, 2016 to September 30, 2017 for the treatment of HIVD or spinal stenosis with MSN. Crossover analysis, Independent sample t test, one-way ANOVA, multiple linear regression analysis, and binary logistic regression analysis were performed. Results: Crossover analysis showed statistically significant differences in treatment methods according to gender, current pain according to the disease duration, satisfaction of MSN according to disease duration, treatment methods, and intention of re-treatment with MSN according to treatment methods. Independent t test and one-way ANOVA showed that there was a difference in current Numeric Rating Scale (NRS) according to disease duration, and difference between discharge and current NRS, and number of MSN according to disease. Multiple linear regression analysis showed that age, disease duration, and number of MSN affect discharge NRS, disease duration, and number of MSN affect current NRS, and Western medical treatment after MSN, discharge NRS, and current NRS affect satisfaction of MSN. Binary logistic regression analysis showed that discharge NRS affects current pain, and gender, discharge NRS, and treatment methods affect intention of re-treatment with MSN. Conclusion: Characteristics, prognosis, satisfaction and variables affecting prognosis of MSN were statistically significant, indicating that more systematic studies are required to further examine the effects of MSN on HIVD or spinal stenosis.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
• /
• v.39 no.2
• /
• pp.13-28
• /
• 2018

Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the use of Korean and English terminology of acupotomy therapy among Korean Researchers. Methods: The search was conducted on eight medical journals (PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, OASIS, KISS, IMR, NDSL, RISS), Google Scholar and 8 Korean medine journals. The definitions of acupotomy therapy, Korean and English terminology were analyzed in the studies that met the criteria. Results: A total of 60 studies were finally included in the analysis. In Korean terminology, Chim-Do was the most used with 37 studies, Do-Chim with 23 (including duplicates). In English termology, 46 studies were used acupotomy and 10 studies were used miniscalpel acupuncture. Conclusions: As a result of analyzing the terminology use of acupotomy therapy studies in Korea, it was confirmed that Korean and English terminology are different according to the study. It will be necessary to discuss the standardization of terminology.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
• /
• v.37 no.1
• /
• pp.59-63
• /
• 2020

The effects of complex Korean medicine treatment including acupotomy, on irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) are reported in this case study. A 54-year-old woman with diarrheal symptoms that alternatively improved and worsened for many years and worsening abdominal pain visited the emergency room and was diagnosed with IBS; she was admitted for approximately 2 weeks at the Acupuncture and Moxibustion Department of National Medical Center (NMC). Numerical rating scale (NRS), irritable bowel syndrome-quality of life (IBS-QOL), and gastrointestinal symptom rating scale (GSRS) scores were evaluated on the day of hospitalization, midway through the hospitalization period, and on the day of discharge. Abdominal pain was measured daily using NRS, and the score decreased from 8 at admission to 0 at discharge. The IBS-QOL percentile score improved from 42 points to 100 points. The total GSRS score also improved, from 30 points to 2 points. These results suggest that complex Korean medicine treatment with acupotomy, is useful for treating internal diseases, such as IBS, as well as musculoskeletal disorders.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
• /
• v.39 no.1
• /
• pp.36-39
• /
• 2022

Background: Acupotomy is a type of acupuncture where a scalpel-shaped needle (miniscalpel needle) is used instead of a normal acupuncture needle to exfoliate adhesion sites or to relax entrapped regions. This study aimed to identify the descriptive characteristics of patients who received acupotomy treatment at a single Korean Medicine Clinic. Methods: This retrospective review analyzed the medical charts of patients who had received acupotomy at least once from August 2017 to December 2019 at a single Korean Medicine Clinic. The demographic characteristics, chief complaints, acupotomy treatment sites, and principal diagnosis codes were analyzed. Results: We identified 551 outpatients; the average age was 52 ± 14.26 years and 49.9% were male. The patients underwent an average of 8.47 sessions of acupotomy. Altogether, 35.91% of the acupotomy treatments were administered to the spinal regions, of which 60.01% were in the lumbar region. The codes related to the lumbar spinal condition/disease which were used most frequently. The chief complaints were dizziness, lumbar spinal stenosis, and Dupuytren's contracture in patients over 60 years of age. Conclusion: This is the 1^st analysis of acupotomy treatment patterns in Korea to date. Acupotomy is primarily administered in the treatment of spinal conditions/diseases, especially for those involving the lumbar region. Future studies are necessary to determine the clinical outcomes of patients who receive acupotomy treatment and the safety of this treatment.