Objectives. This study aimed to explore the characteristics and principles of acupoints, which were applied for treating tension-type headache (TTH). Methods. Four databases were searched for the literature studies of treating TTH with acupuncture and moxibustion up to September 1, 2020. Titles, journals, authors, key words, interventions, main acupoints, and outcomes of the included literature studies were extracted and inputted into the self-established Data Excavation Platform of Acupoint Specificity for analysis. Results. In total, 128 papers containing 137 prescriptions, 89 meridian acupoints, and 7 extraordinary acupoints of treating TTH with acupuncture and moxibustion were included. The total frequency of acupoints application was 763 times. Fengchi (GB20), Baihui (GV20), Taiyang (EX-HN5), Hegu (LI4), and Taichong (LR3) were used most frequently. The acupoints in Yang meridians were utilized more than those in Yin meridians (66.1 vs. 17.8), and the acupoints in the Gallbladder Meridian of Foot Shaoyang were applied most commonly. 59.9 (457/763) of the applied acupoints were on the head, face, and neck, and 31.7 (242/763) were on the four limbs. Additionally, the proportion of specific acupoints application was 78.2 (597/763). Conclusions. The prescription of Fengchi (GB20), Baihui (GV20), Taiyang (EX-HN5), Hegu (LI4), and Taichong (LR3) might be relatively reasonable in clinical practices of treating TTH with acupuncture, which should be verified in further studies.

Introduction: The most frequent complications after abdominal surgery include a decrease or loss of appetite, abdominal distension, abdominal pain caused by reduced gastrointestinal motility, anal arrest with intestinal distension and defecation, and nausea and vomiting due to anesthetic and opioid analgesic administration. These complications severely affect postoperative recovery, prolong hospital stay, and increase the financial burden. The objective of this study is to investigate the efficacy and safety of three acupoint stimulation modalities (electroacupuncture [EA], transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation [TEAS], and transcutaneous acupoint electrical stimulation combined with EA [TEAS+EA]), and two EA instrument waveforms (continuous wave and dilatational wave) for rapid recovery after abdominal surgery.Methods and analysis: A total of 560 patients will be recruited and randomly allocated to receive one of the following seven interventions: continuous wave EA, continuous wave TEAS, continuous wave TEAS + EA, dilatational wave EA, dilatational wave TEAS, dilatational wave TEAS + EA, and a control. For this study, continuous waves at 2 Hz, and dilatational waves at 2/50 Hz would be selected. The points to be stimulated by EA are the bilateral Neiguan (PC6), Hegu (LI6), Zusanli (ST36), Shangjuxu (ST37), and Xiajuxu (ST39), and TEAS would stimulate the bilateral Liangmen (ST21) and Daheng (SP15). The control group will neither receive EA nor TEAS. All patients will undergo an enhanced recovery plan after surgery and be provided with standardized perioperative management. Treatment will start on the first postoperative day and be administered once daily in the morning until the patient regains spontaneous bowel movements and can tolerate oral intake of solid food. The primary outcome is a composite of time to first defecation and time to tolerance of a solid diet. Secondary outcomes include time to first exhaustion; time of first defecation; time of tolerance of a solid diet; time to the first ambulation; length of hospital stay from surgery to discharge; visual analog scale score for postoperative daily pain, nausea, and vomiting; incidence of postoperative complications; and treatment acceptability.Discussion: This study will compare the efficacy and safety of three acupoint stimulation methods and two EA instrument waveforms for rapid recovery after abdominal surgery.Trial Registration: Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (http://www.chictr.org.cn), ChiCTR2100043883.

Introduction Acupuncture has been accepted in many Western countries and clinical trials have been increasing recently. However, the problems of insufficient and low-quality evidence remain, and substantially hinder the development of acupuncture clinical trials. We therefore aim to develop a guideline to strengthen the quality of acupuncture clinical trials, in accordance with WHO handbook for guideline development and the Reporting Items for practice Guidelines in HealThcare. The guideline will help to improve the quality of acupuncture clinical trials. Methods and analysis We will search for studies on the quality of acupuncture clinical trials using PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang Data, China Science and Technology Journal Database, The Cochrane Library, the WHO and Health Technology Assessment websites, and other sources. We will also check reference lists and contact experts in the field. We will systematically evaluate the quality of acupuncture clinical trials, and extract and summarise the quality problems and countermeasures of such trials. We will also systematically review clinical trial quality control manuals and systems and formulate research questions on quality control in acupuncture clinical trials. Finally, we will develop the guideline and establish a comprehensive quality control system to ensure high quality acupuncture clinical trials. We will also evaluate the guideline and will update the guideline to reflect new scientific evidence. Ethics and dissemination Ethics committee approval and informed consent are not required for developing guideline because only published data will be used, however, we will interview the patients, the ethics committee approval has been got from West China Hospital of Sichuan Unversity (Number: 2021-1188). We will publish all manuscripts arising from this research and present the findings at conferences. Guideline registration number IPGRP-2021CN093.

Introduction Abdominal surgery is associated with common complications, including decreased or poor appetite, abdominal distension, abdominal pain caused by decreased or absent gastrointestinal motility, anal arrest with flatus and defecation, and nausea and vomiting resulting from the use of anaesthetics and opioid analgesics. These complications seriously affect postoperative recovery, prolong hospital stay and aggravate patient burden. This study aims to investigate for the first time the efficacy of transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation (TEAS) combined with electroacupuncture (EA) therapy for rapid recovery after laparotomy for gastrointestinal surgery. There have been no clinical studies of this combination therapy. Methods and analysis This will be a prospective, single-centre, three-arm, randomised controlled trial. A total of 480 patients undergoing abdominal surgery will be stratified according to surgery type (ie, gastric or colorectal procedure) and randomised into three groups; namely, the EA, TEAS +EA and control groups. The control group will receive enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS)-standardised perioperative management, including preoperative education, optimising the anaesthesia scheme, avoiding intraoperative hypothermia, restrictive fluid infusion and reducing surgical trauma. The EA group will receive EA stimulation at LI4, PC6, ST36, ST37 and ST39 based on the ERAS-standardised perioperative management. Moreover, the TEAS +EA group will receive ERAS-standardised perioperative management; EA stimulation at the LI4, PC6, ST36, ST37 and ST39; and TEAS stimulation at ST21 and SP15. The primary outcome will be the GI-2 (composite outcome of time to first defaecation and time to tolerance of a solid diet). Secondary outcomes will include the time of first passage of flatus, time to first defaecation, time to tolerance of a solid diet, time to first ambulation, hospital duration from operation to discharge, pain and nausea vomiting scores on the Visual Analogue Scale, medication use, incidence of postoperative complications and evaluation of treatment modality acceptability. All statistical analyses will be performed based on the intention-to-treat principle. Ethics and dissemination Ethics approval has been granted by the Ethics Committee on Biomedical Research, West China Hospital of Sichuan University (approval number: 2021; number 52). The results are expected to be published in peer-reviewed journals. Trial registration number ChiCTR2100045646.

Using a severe acute pancreatitis (SAP) rat model, the mechanism of electroacupuncture (EA) were studied on the intestinal function of pancreatitis. The SAP models were established by injecting 30% L-ornithine at hourly intervals, and were divided into two groups (14 in each): SAP model group, which was not treated, and EA group, which received EA at ST36 at a frequency of 1-2 Hz and amplitude of 1 mA for 30 min twice a day. Fourteen rats were also included as the control group. After EA, the intestinal propulsion was measured. In the distal ileum myenteric plexus, the density of HuC/D and the proportion of cholinergic neurons were measured using immunohistochemistry. Compared to the SAP model group, the EA group demonstrated significant improvements in intestinal propulsion rates. Furthermore, after EA, the density of myenteric neurons in the ileum returned to normal levels and the proportion of cholinergic neurons was increased compared to the SAP model group. And finally, EA alleviated the damage to the pancreas. Thus, our results suggest that EA stimulation at ST36 can partly restore the enteric neuron function and improve intestinal motility dysfunction, therefore could ameliorate SAP. The enteric nervous system can participate in changes in intestinal motility by affecting cholinergic neurons.

Three-dimensional (3D) printing has been increasingly used in various fields of medicine, such as in auxiliary diagnosis and treatment, medical teaching, and regenerative medicine. Most operations performed by neurosurgeons and associated pathological examinations involve complex, microscopic anatomical structures that cannot be observed outside. 3D-printed models can reproduce anatomical structures, pathological tissues, and cells with high accuracy, enhancing our understanding of complex aspects of anatomy and pathology. They can also assist in preoperative planning and simulation, help in surgical or interventional surgery precision medicine, and improve the effectiveness of treatments. This review comprehensively summarizes and discusses its current application progress and problems, including treatments for common diseases (e.g., intracranial tumors, intracranial hemorrhage, intracranial aneurysms, skull repair, and neural prosthetics), clinical training, and preoperative plans. With its widespread applications, 3D printing as an innovative tool will provide new directions for developing imaging, strategies, and interventions in neurosurgical diseases.