EMBEDDED CATGUT IN CHRONIC COLITIS

Liu Hayin, Yang Xingfeng

(The Second Hospital. Ha'erbin Medical College, HeilongJiaiigl

Between Dec. 1970 to Dec 1982, 125 cases with moderate chronic colitis, diagnosed in our hospital, were divided in two groups for the treatment. One of these was treated by embedded catgut and compared with the other treated by drugs.

Criteria of treatment effect: Effect of treatment may be classified as: (1) Cured, which means the symptoms disappeared, the stool is normal for a period of at least a month, and sigmoidoscopy as well as barium enema investigations are negative, (2) Improved, which means the symptoms are less ended and the clinical laboratory investigations show less pathological changes than before; (3) No response, which means no effect at all.

Method of treatment: Main points were Shendao to Lingtai, double Dachangshu and Tianshu. Subsidiary points were double Pishu to WeSshu, double Shenshu. After sterilization and local anesthesia, choosing a modified spinal needle, cutting a short segment of the catgut suture, 2-3 cm long, pushing it from the pointed end of the needle into its lumen, then the operator inserted the obturator. The skin was fixed by the thumb and the index of the left hand; the needle was held with right hand and the catgut was quickly inserted into the skin to a wanted depth. Then, fixing the obturator, the operator raised the tube. When the upper end of the tube was on the level with that of obturator, the operator withdrew the needle, thus the catgut was embedded in the point. The site was covered with sterile gauze which was fixed by adhesive plaster.

Analysis of results: in the group treated by embedded catgut, in 125 cases, 88 patients were cured, with a curative rate of 70.4 per cent, 26 were improved with an improvement rate of 20.8 per cent, 11 showed no response with a non response rate of 8.8 per cent. In the group treated with drugs, in 132 cases, 16 patients were cured, with a curative rate of 12.12 per cent, 57 were improved with an improvement rate of 43.18 per cent, 59 showed no response with a non response rate of 44.69 per cent. Statistics show the difference between these two groups is apparent very significant (P<0.005).

Long-term effect of the treatment: In the group treated by embedded catgut, thirty two patients had been followed up for three years. The relapsed rate was 14.5 per cent.

Course of treatment: A course of treatment consisted of 1 or 2 seatings at biweekly interval and each seating consisted of the embdding of catgut in 3-5 points. The main and the subsidiary points were used alternately. All cases of this group took one course of the treatment.