title: [Copper ion electrochemistry in treatment of bleeding and prolapse due to hemorrhoid, experimental and clinical studies].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To observe the effect of copper ion electrochemistry (CIE) in treatment of bleeding and prolapse due to hemorrhoid.
  
  
  METHODS
  Bleeding was caused at several points on the sacrospinal muscles of 26 rabbits. Routine hemostasis was used at one side (control side) and CIE was used on the opposite side (experimental side). The stanch times at the different sides were recorded. Then the rabbits were killed. Pathological examination was made to the lung, liver, and kidney to observe the amount of small thrombus and inflammation. CIE was performed at the right side of anus of 6 dogs and the right side was used as control side. Tissue specimens of rabbit muscle and dog anus mucosa were collected to examine the copper ion concentration. A copper needle was inserted into each pile to the depth of 10 - 15 mm for 4'40" (with the mean number of treated points of 9.8) upon 202 patients suffering from bleeding due to hemorrhoid, 79 with inner hemorrhoids and 123 patients with mixed hemorrhoids (experimental group). Another 171 patients suffering from bleeding due to hemorrhoid, 64 with inner hemorrhoids and 107 with mixed hemorrhoids were treated with suppository as controls. CEI was performed on 128 patients suffering from prolapse of hemorrhoid, 41 with inner hemorrhoids and 87 with mixed hemorrhoids (experimental group). Another 115 patients suffering from prolapse of hemorrhoid, 40 with inner hemorrhoids and 75 with mixed hemorrhoids were treated with suppository as controls. Biopsy specimens of anus mucosa were taken from 18 patients with mixed hemorrhoid who underwent CIE. The copper ion concentration was measured in 30 patients undergoing CIE.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The stanch time in the experimental side of rabbit was (1.16 +/- 0.18) min, significantly shorter than that in the control side [(2.13 +/- 0.46) min, P = 0.0037]. Extensive small thrombi and edema of vascular wall were seen in the rabbit liver, lung, kidney, and muscle tissues in comparison with the tissues of the control side (P < 0.01). Copper ion complex was seen in the experimental rabbit tissues. The copper ion concentration was significantly higher in the experimental area of dog anus mucosa than in the control area. Clinical study showed that after CIE the curative rate for bleeding was 95.5%, significantly higher than that of the control group (8.8%, U = 44.6, P < 0.001). The curative rate for prolapse in the experimental group was 60.8%, significantly higher than that of the control group (20.9%, U = 313.2, P < 0.01). No patient felt pain while treated and later. After the CIE treatment, the patients only needed to take a rest for 4 hours. Pathology showed there were much more small thrombi in the treated tissues. The blood copper ion concentration in the trial group did not increase significantly after CIE in comparison with that before treatment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  CIE is safe, effective and easy to perform in treatment of bleeding and prolapse due to hemorrhoid.
authors.affiliation: Xiyuan Hospital, Chinese Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Beijing 100091, China.
authors.forename: Dong-bing
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Jing-xia
authors.initials: JX
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Bao-zhi
authors.initials: BZ
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Yan-ting
authors.initials: YT
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Xiang-dong
authors.initials: XD
authors.lastname: Xie
authors.forename: Yao-zhou
authors.initials: YZ
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Chang-shun
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Xi-lin
authors.initials: XL
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Quan
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Li-yong
authors.initials: LY
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000818:Animals; D003300:Copper / Q000097:blood / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004285:Dogs; D004563:Electrochemistry; D005260:Female; D006471:Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D006484:Hemorrhoids / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011391:Prolapse; D011817:Rabbits
chemical_list: D003300:Copper