Observation on the effect of electro-acupuncture in treating maxillofacial hemangioma

Objective: To investigate the clinical effect of electro-acupuncture (EA) in treating maxillofacial hemangioma (MFH).Methods: Platinum needles (electrode) were inserted into the MFH in 405 patients, the locations of which were found with the guidance of B-ultrasonography or CT, and the number of needles was decided by the size of the MFH, the distance between needles was about 1. 5cm, and the peri-lesional health tissues were protected with plastic insulating canulae. The electrodes, i.e. the cathodes and anodes, were linked to the EA apparatus for EA treatment, and the usually applied voltage was 5.0–7.0V, the current 60–80mA and the quantity about 100 coulombs/cm of MFH’s diameter. B-ultrasonography was used for monitoring during EA, and the treatment was finished when B-ultrasonography showed disappearance of blood flow in the MFH.Results: Evaluation according to WHO’s standard for therapeutic efficacy evaluation of tumor showed that, after treatment, 345 patients (85.2%) were completely remitted (CR), 39 (9.6%) partially remitted (PR), 12 (3.0%) improved pathologically, and 9 (2.2%) showing no improvement, the effective rate (CR+PR) being 94.8%.Conclusion: EA, as a creative technique for treatment of MFH, has made a breakthrough in clinical practice, showing high efficacy. It also has such superiorities as being simple, causing less injury, and enabling the patients to recover quickly, with no scar left and easily to popularize, and therefore, it provides an effective method for curing MFH.