An Acupoint Catgut-embedding Therapy for Treating Obesity

The research focus on weight loss through acupuncture and catgut-embedding, as well as the treatment of pain syndrome using acupuncture. Significant progress has been made in treating obesity using traditional Chinese medicine, though it's underlying mechanisms still remains understudied. Our future studies will focus on exploring the underlying mechanism of acupuncture and the traditional Chinese medicine in treating obesity.

To begin, position the patient in a supine position, exposing the location of the acupuncture points. Measure acupuncture points using the proportional finger-cun, or F-cun system, where the patient's four finger widths at the middle joint crease of the middle finger equal three F-cun. Locate the acupuncture point, Zhongwan, or CV-12, in the upper abdomen, positioned four F-cun above the center of the umbilicus along the anterior midline.

Locate the Shuifen, or CV-9 point, in the upper abdomen, positioned one F-cun above the center of the umbilicus along the anterior midline. Next, locate the Tianshu, or ST-25 point, in the abdomen positioned horizontally to the center of the umbilicus, two F-cun away from the anterior midline. Similarly, locate the Guan Yuan, or CV-4 point, in the lower abdomen positioned three F-cun below the center of the umbilicus along the anterior midline.

Now locate the Yinlingquan, or SP-9 point, on the medial side of the lower leg in the depression between the lower border of the medial condyle of the tibia and the medial border of the tibia. Locate the Fenglong, or ST-40 point, on the lateral side of the lower leg positioned eight F-cun above the tip of the ankle at the outer edge of the tibialis anterior muscle, one finger breath lateral to Tiaokou or ST-38. Disinfect the acupoints of the patient from inside to outside using iota four cotton balls.

Repeat the disinfection process two to three times, ensuring that the disinfection area covers a diameter of at least five centimeters. Open the package containing the disposable catgut-embedding needle and absorbable surgical suture. Put on sterile gloves.

Take the absorbable surgical suture with sterile tweezers in one hand and the disposable burying needle in the other. Using sterile tweezers, place the absorbable surgical suture into the tip of the disposable catgut-embedding needle. Fix the acupuncture point with the less dominant hand and make the skin taut at the site of needle insertion.

Hold the needle in the dominant hand and insert it perpendicular to the skin at the acupuncture point to a depth of 25 millimeters. Advance the needle to the desired depth. Perform the needling manipulation method, lifting and thrusting, by moving the needle up from deep to shallow to lift and from shallow to deep to thrust.

Then apply the twirling and rotating technique by rotating the needle back and forth within the acupoint. Push the core of the catgut-embedding needle while pulling out the needle. Ensure that the suture remains completely embedded inside the patient.

If any suture is exposed, remove it with tweezers and repeat the procedure. After removing the needle, use sterilized dry cotton balls to apply pressure to the needled skin area to prevent bleeding. Cover the area with a sterile bandaid to reduce infection risk.

The results of this study indicate that patients experienced significant reductions in weight, body mass index, waist circumference, hip circumference, waist to hip ratio, and body fat percentage following acupoint catgut-embedding therapy. These statistically significant differences in before and after treatment values demonstrate the efficacy of acupoint catgut-embedding therapy in treating simple obesity.