Decreasing the Uterine Blood Flow with Electroacupuncture: Bidermatomal and Monodermatomal Applications.
BACKGROUND
Previously we demonstrated a uterine fibroma case in which the decrease in the uterine artery blood flow was obtained with bidermatomal electroacupuncture (EA). A prospective study was conducted to validate the efficacy of bidermatomal and monodermatomal EA applications.


METHODS
Ten healthy women participated 3 times for 3 steps of the study. Each woman enrolled into a bidermatomal sham control group application, a bidermatomal 80 Hz EA and as a last step, a monodermatomal EA with 80 Hz. Color Doppler ultrasonographic recordings were made to detect baseline blood flow parameters by a pulsatility index (PI), volume flow, area and diameter of each uterine artery and after stimulations.


RESULTS
Doppler ultrasonographic recordings demonstrated statistically significant decreases of the blood flow both with bidermatomal (p = 0.03 for the left side PI and p = 0.04 for the right side PI) and monodermatomal EA (p = 0.006 for the left PI and p = 0.002 for the right side PI). The sham control group did not show a significant change in blood flow parameters.


CONCLUSIONS
The present study validates the efficacy of the bidermatomal but also the monodermatomal EA with 80 Hz on decreasing the blood flow to the uterus.
Department of Anatomy, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand.
Yusuf Ozgur
YO
Cakmak
Ihsan Nuri
IN
Akpinar
Tevfik
T
Yoldemir
D000328:Adult; D015671:Electroacupuncture / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D064368:Healthy Volunteers; D006801:Humans; D012039:Regional Blood Flow / Q000502:physiology*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D018615:Ultrasonography, Doppler, Color; D055988:Uterine Artery / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D014599:Uterus / Q000098:blood supply*