OBJECTIVETo observe the therapeutic effect of continuous electroacupuncture at Neiguan (PC 6) on the basis of routine treatment of western medicine for arousing consciousness of comatose patinents with severe craniocerebral trauma.

METHODSFifty-six cases of severe cranio cerebral trauma patients whose scores of Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) lower than 8 were randomly divided into an observation group (29 cases) and a control group (27 cases). Both groups were treated with routine western medicine. The observation group were additionally treated with continuous electroacupuncture at Neiguan (PC 6) as the main point. Arousal rate and time after one month and three months of two groups were observed, arousal rate and the total therapeutic effect of recovery of the patients with different types after three months were compared between two groups.

RESULTSThe arousal time of the observation group was (18.57 +/- 7.14) days and the arousal rate was 72.4% (21/29) after one month, while (24.60 +/- 5.00) days and 37.0% (10/27) in control group, respectively. They were suprior in observation group to those in control group (P < 0.01, P < 0.05); the arousal time was (25.04 +/- 16.68) days in the observation group after three months of treatment, also shorter than (37.90 +/- 16.94) days in control group (P < 0.05). The arousal rate of patients with diffuse axonal injury was significantly higher than that of patients with non-diffuse axonal injury in the observation group and patients with the same type in control group after one month (P < 0.05). The cured-markedly effective rate of 72.4% (21/29) in observation group was significantly higher than that of 37.0% (10/27) in control group (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe therapy of continunous electroacupuncture at Neiguan (PC 6) on the basis of routine western medicine has a better therapeutic effect for comatose patients with severe cranio cerebral trauma, especially for those with diffuse axonal injury.