OBJECTIVETo investigate intra-abdominal pressure (IAP) and its changes in patients with indirect inguinal hernia and non-hernia diseases.

METHODSSupine IAP (SIAP), supine Valsava IAP (SVIAP), orthostatic IAP (OIAP) and orthostatic Valsava IAP (OVIAP) were measured by intra-vesicle pressure measurement in 19 indirect inguinal hernia patients and 20 non-hernia patients, respectively. The differences of IAP between orthostatic and supine position in quiescent condition (OSIAPD), before and after taking Valsava maneuver in supine position (SVIAPD) or in orthostatic position (OVIAPD), orthostatic and supine position when taking Valsava maneuver (OSVIAPD) were compared between the two groups.

RESULTSThere was no significant differences in SIAP, OIAP, SVIAP, OSIAPD, SVIAPD between the two groups (P > 0.05). While patients with indirect inguinal hernia had higher OVIAP (P < 0.05). Significant differences in OVIAPD and OSVIAPD was found between the two groups (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSThe etiology of indirect inguinal hernia were related to orthostatic position, increasing IAP and changes of anatomic structures. The IAP is prone to elevated in patients with indirect inguinal hernia.

Abdomen ; physiopathology ; Adult ; Aged ; Hernia, Inguinal ; pathology ; physiopathology ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pressure

OBJECTIVETo observe the clinical effects of myopia in children treated with abdominal acupuncture.

METHODSNinety children with myopia were randomly divided into an abdominal acupuncture group (45 cases with 90 ill eyes) and an auricular point group(45 cases with 90 ill eyes). In the abdominal acupuncture group, Zhongwan (CV 12), Shangqu(KI 17), Xiawan(CV 10), Tianshu(ST 25), Qihai(CV 6), Guanyuan(CV 4) were treated with tapping method. The needles were not retained and down to the lower in accordance with the order from Zhongwan (CV 12) to Guanyuan(CV 4) for 5 min,and the erubescence skin without blood was proper. In the auricular point group, vaccaria seeds were pasted at gan(CO12), shen(CO10),pi(CO13), wei(CO4), yan(LO5), pingjianqian(TG2i), pingjianhou(ATli) and zhen(AT3); one ear was chosen every time and the other ear the second time with pressing of patient's own for 5 min every day. The treatment was given twice a week and 10 treatments were considered as one course in the two groups. The changes of the visual levels in visual chart before treatment, 20 min after the first treatment, after 5 weeks' and 3 months' treatment were compared between the two groups,and the clinicall efficacy was compared between the two groups as well.

RESULTS(1) The visual levels in visual chart were improved in the abdominal acupuncture group and auricular point group, and the effects 20 min after the first treatment, after 5 weeks' and 3 months' treatment in the abdominal acupuncture group were superior to those in the auricular point group(4. 78±0. 16 vs 4. 69±0. 22, P<0. 01; 4. 85±0. 16 vs 4. 79±0. 21, P<0. 05; 4. 89±0. 13 vs 4. 71±0. 25, P<0. 01). (2)The effective rates 20 min after the first treatment, after 5 weeks' and 3 months' treatment in the abdominal acupuncture group were better than those in the auricular point group[31. 4% (27/86) vs 0% (0/82). 81.4%(70/86) vs 60. 0%(49/82); 88. 4%(76/86) vs 51. 2%(42/82), all P<0. 01].

CONCLUSIONAbdominal acupuncture for improving the visual levels of myopia in children is superior to auricular point sticking.

Abdomen ; physiopathology ; Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Adolescent ; Child ; Eye ; physiopathology ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Myopia ; physiopathology ; therapy ; Treatment Outcome ; Vision, Ocular

Abdomen ; physiopathology ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Compartment Syndromes ; diagnosis ; mortality ; therapy ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Male ; Retrospective Studies

Abdomen ; physiopathology ; Child, Preschool ; Humans ; Lymphoma, B-Cell ; complications ; diagnostic imaging ; Male ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

OBJECTIVETo investigate the influence of abdominal cavity infection and hypertension on the function of intestinal dynamic and interstitial cells of Cajal (ICC).

METHODSSprague-Dawley rats were divided into four groups. Group 1 was the sham group. In group 2, infection was induced by cecal puncture and ligation. In group 3, abdominal hypertension was created by placing a catheter into the abdominal cavity, and in group 4, both infection and hypertension were induced simultaneously. Small intestinal transit and in vitro muscle contractions were recorded. Ileum sections stained with hematoxylin and eosin were assessed pathologically. Immunopositivity of c-Kit as markers of ICC and ultrastructures were evaluated by transmission electron microscopy.

RESULTSAbdominal cavity infection, hypertension and infection plus hypertension decreased the intestinal transit ratios by 14%, 25% and 36% respectively as compared to the sham group. In the bowel segment of the above three groups, muscles showed a significant reduction in frequency and amplitude of contraction. Meanwhile, obvious pathological lesions and smaller positive c-Kit area were found in the above three groups. These changes were associated with the lesions of ICC networks and ultrastructure.

CONCLUSIONIntestinal dysmotility and decrease of c-Kit immunopositivity are induced by abdominal cavity infection and hypertension. ICC plays a central role in maintaining and disrupting the normal intestinal motility in the above conditions.

Abdomen ; microbiology ; pathology ; physiopathology ; Animals ; Hypertension ; physiopathology ; Infection ; pathology ; physiopathology ; Interstitial Cells of Cajal ; ultrastructure ; Intestines ; cytology ; pathology ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

OBJECTIVETo probe the effect and mechanism of the nuchal acupuncture and abdominal acupuncture for treatment of stroke patients with spastic hemiplegia.

METHODSSixty cases were randomly divided into an observation group and a control group, 30 cases in each group. Nuchal acupuncture and abdominal acupuncture treatment was used and Fengfu (GV 16), Fengchi (GB 20), Tianzhu (BL 10), Zhongwan (CV 12) and Guanyuan (CV 4) etc. were selected in observation group, routine acupuncture was applied on Binao (LI 14), Quchi (LI 11), Huantiao (GB 30) and Futu (ST 32) etc. in control group. The scale of Ashworth and score of Fugel-Meyer of the spastic lateral upper and lower limbs and the changes of the EMG F-wave in spastic upper limb of patients in two groups were observed before and after treatment.

RESULTSThe Ashworth scale and Fugel-Meyer score of the upper and lower limbs were obviously improved, the amplitude was decreased, the duration was shorten and the threshold of the EMG F-wave of the spastic upper limb was increased (all P < 0.01) in the observation group. The observation group was superior to the control group in Fugel-Meyer score of the upper and lower limbs of the patients the Ashworth scale of the lower limb, and the amplitude, duration and threshold of the EMG F-wave of the spastic upper limb (all P < 0.01). The total effective rate of 90.0% in observation group was superior to that of 50.0% in control group (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONThe nuchal acupuncture and abdominal acupuncture treatment can decrease the muscle tension of the stroke patients with spastic hemiplegia.

Abdomen ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Aged ; Female ; Hemiplegia ; etiology ; physiopathology ; therapy ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Stroke ; complications ; Treatment Outcome

BACKGROUNDA link between postoperative pain intensity and heart rate variability (HRV) had not been well established. This study aimed to investigate the correlation between post-operative pain intensity and HRV.

METHODSThe subjects in this cross-sectional correlation study comprised of patients who had undergone abdominal surgery in a regional teaching hospital in central Taiwan during the period July 2009 - November 2009. The visual analogue scale (VAS) and the short-form McGill pain questionnaire (SF-MPQ) were used to measure post-operative pain. HRV was measured as the standard deviation of normal RR interval, and by power spectral analysis that included high frequency (HF), low frequency (LF), very low frequency power, and LF/HF ratio.

RESULTSA total of 34 subjects were included in this study. We found that the day after the surgery, the mean VAS score was 47.50 ± 20.98 and the mean SF-MPQ score was 18.06 ± 8.90, indicating a moderate degree of pain. Moderate to severe degrees of tenderness were reported by 70.6% of the patients, moderate to severe degrees of gnawing pain were experienced by 67.7% of the patients, moderate to severe degrees of tiring-exhaustion pain were reported by 64.7% of the patients, and 41.2% of the patients who experienced moderate to severe pain believed that the pain was punishing-cruel. The standard deviation of normal RR interval and high frequency values obtained from male patients or married patients were higher than female patients or unmarried (P < 0.05). The correlation of the standard deviation of normal RR interval, high frequency, very low frequency value and patient's age were negative (P < 0.05). The total SF-MPQ pain scores positively correlated with the LF/HF ratio (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSThe multidimensional pain assessment tool (SF-MPQ) reflects better the patients' post-operative pain than the single-dimensional assessment tool (VAS). HRV positively correlated with SF-MPQ scores in patients after abdominal surgery.

Abdomen ; surgery ; Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Heart Rate ; physiology ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Pain ; etiology ; physiopathology ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo compare the effect of abdominal acupuncture and Chinese medicine on pain relieving in pelvic cavity in patients with endometriosis.

METHODSFifty-eight cases were randomly divided into 2 groups. Thirty cases were in abdominal acupuncture group and 28 cases in Chinese medicine group. Abdominal acupuncture points such as Zhongwan (CV 12), Xiawan (CV 10) and Qihai (CV 6), etc. were adopted for the abdominal acupuncture group, and Tianqi Tongjing Capsule (radix notoginseng capsule for dysmenorrhea) was taken by the Chinese medicine group. After a 3-month treatment, the scores of McGill pain questionaire, level of serum CA125, average value of the radial line of endometrial cyst of ovary and the sum of 3 radial lines of the uterus of patients with adenomyosis as the complication of both groups were observed before and after treatment.

RESULTSThe McGill estimation of 6 items for both groups improved obviously after treatment (all P < 0.01, except numbers of selected deseriptors in Chinese medicine group). The differences of the result of McGill estimation of 6 items after treatment had statistical significance, the scores in the abdominal acupuncture group were obviously better than those in the Chinese medicine group (all P < 0.01). The differences of CA125 levels within one group or between 2 groups had statistical significance (P < 0.01, P < 0.05). The difference of the radial lines of patients with endometrial cyst of ovary within one group or between 2 groups after treatment had not statistical significance (all P > 0.05). For the value of 3 radial lines of the uterus of patients with adenomyosis within one group before and after treatment, only the difference in the abdominal acupuncture group had statistical significance (P < 0.01). The differences before and after treatment in the Chinese medicine group and the difference between 2 groups after treatment had no statistical significance (all P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONEffect of abdominal acupuncture on relieving pain of pelvic cavity caused by endometriosis, reducing the level of serum CA125 is obverious than Tianqi Tongjing Capsule (radix notoginseng capsule for dysmenorrhea). However, the effects on reducing the size of the ovarian endometrial cyst and the size of uterus with adenomyosis are not significant. Therefore, it is concluded that abdominal acupuncture is a better choice for endometriosis with pain as the chief complaints.

Abdomen ; Acupuncture Therapy ; methods ; Adult ; Endometriosis ; physiopathology ; Female ; Humans ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Middle Aged ; Pain Measurement ; Pelvic Pain ; therapy

Abdomen ; physiopathology ; Biomarkers ; Female ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin E ; blood ; Mesothelioma ; diagnosis ; pathology ; Middle Aged ; Outcome Assessment (Health Care) ; Peritoneal Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; pathology ; surgery ; Pruritus ; physiopathology ; surgery ; Radiography, Abdominal

OBJECTIVETo explore the therapeutic effect and mechanism of abdominal acupuncture for cervical spondylosis of vertebral artery type.

METHODSThirty cases of cervical vertigo, in which the color ultrasonography indicated vertebral arterial blood insufficiency, were treated with abdominal acupuncture therapy. The points were Zhongwan (CV 12), Qihai (CV 6), Guanyuan (CV 4), Xiawan (CV 10), Shangqu (KI 17) and Huaroumen (ST 24). The treatment was given once every day and five continuous treatments made one session. Separately, before treatment and in the 1st and 5th treatments, the cervical vertigo symptom and functional assessment scales were adopted for scoring. Simultaneously, the color ultrasonography was applied to observe the blood flow changes of the bilateral cervical arteries.

RESULTSExcept the score for headache in the 1st treatment, the scores in cervical vertigo and function assessment scale in the 1st and 5th treatments were all improved significantly in 30 patients as compared with those before treatment (P < 0.01, P < 0.05). In the 1st and 5th treatments, on the affected side, the vertebral artery diameter, mean velocity and blood flow per minute were all improved significantly as compared with those before treatment (all P < 0.01). In one session treatment, the total effective rate was 100.0% (30/30) and the curative rate was 60.0% (18/30).

CONCLUSIONAbdominal acupuncture therapy not only relieves the clinical symptoms, but also improves vertebral arterial blood supply for the patients of cervical spondylosis of vertebral artery type.

Abdomen ; Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Hemodynamics ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Regional Blood Flow ; Spondylosis ; physiopathology ; therapy ; Treatment Outcome ; Vertebral Artery ; physiopathology ; Young Adult