INCISION AND CATGUT EMBEDDING THERAPY IN EPILEPSY

Li Xiuyun, Yang Bingxue, Zhao ling

(Department of TCM, Dezhou Prefecture People's Hospital, Shandong)

Epilepsy has been conventionally treated in our department with a combined therapy of traditional incision method and the tissue implantation in Western medicine, and its effect seemed to be promising,

All cases were referred from the Neurology Department of our hospital with confirmed diagnosis of epilepsy, and showed no improvement after oral antiepileptic medication. Incisious were made primarily on points Biru, Jiouwei, Tanzhong and Changqiang, with one point each time for choice among them. After local anesthesia a longitudinal incision was made with a length no longer than 1-1V2 cm. The incision was separated with straight forceps, allowing the underlying tissue to be exposed, and a piece of beansized fat was removed so that the forceps could be inserted subcutaneously. Soreness, numbness and distention with extension to its surroundings were experience by means of massage along the incised edges horizontally and vertically. A small ring made of catgut suture (No. 1,1 cm in length) was implanted subcutaneously, and then the incision was sutured, covered with aseptic gauze and bandaged up for 5-7 days before the removal o the stitches. Catgut embedding might also be used as a supporting therapy with selection of points in two groups according to the syndrome complex. For the in-disperse of the liver vitality and intranquility of cardiac vitality, points Xinshu, Ganshu, Dazhui, Fuu were recommended. For the dysfunction of gastric and splenic vitality, points Pishu, Weishu, Futu, Zusanli and Fenglong were recommended. After intracutaneous infiltration, a needle with catgut suture (No 1) was punctured through the deep layer of muscle underlying the selected point. Then the stubbed part of the suture was cut clearly, covered with aseptic gauze and dressed. This procedure should be repeated every 5 or 4 weeks, and be suspended if there was no marked progress after three or four such repetitions. 141 epileptic cases had been done so far, in which 37 proved quite successful, with no recurrence in 3 years. 42 showed marked progress with alleviated symptoms during seizures or with prolonged intervals between attacks, and 62 proved unsuccessful.