Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine ›› 2023, Vol. 43 ›› Issue (3): 602-605.DOI: 10.19852/j.cnki.jtcm.2023.03.006

• Case Report • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Acupuncture on intrauterine growth restriction associated brain injury: case study including use of magnetic resonance imaging

XIN Zhixiong1, LI Jiyuan2,3, XU Yanni4, LING Jing5, JIANG Min3,6(), YU Yutian3,6()   

  1. 1 Department of Pediatrics, People's Hospital of Sanshui District, Foshan 528000, China
    2 Department of MRI, Beijing Shijitan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100038, China
    3 Ninth School of Clinical Medicine, Peking University, Beijing 100038, China
    4 Foshan Minfound Medical Imaging Diagnostic Center, Foshan 528000, China
    5 Department of Gynecology, Shenzhen Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital, Shenzhen 518033, China
    6 Acupuncture Department, Beijing Shijitan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100038, China
  • Received:2022-02-12 Accepted:2022-06-15 Online:2023-06-15 Published:2023-04-28
  • Contact: JIANG Min, Acupuncture Department, Beijing Shijitan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100038, China. jiangmin545@bjsjth.cn. Telephone: +86-10-63926189; YU Yutian, Acupuncture Department, Beijing Shijitan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100038, China. yutianyu@bjsjth.cn;
  • Supported by:
    Mechanisms Studies of γ-frequency Auricular Electroacupuncture Facilitates APP/PS1 Mice Cognition via P2X7R/NLRP3/Caspase-1 Pathway(82104980);Mechanisms Studies of Auricular Electroacupuncture on Hypothalamic P2Y1R in the Regulating Body Weight of ob/ob Mice(PZ2022005);Mechanisms Studies of Auricular Electroacupuncture on Hypothalamic P2Y1R in the Regulating Body Weight of db/db Mice(2021-q01)

Abstract:

Brain injury due to intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) is a thorny clinical problem that often leads to permanent neurological deficits such as cerebral palsy. Few practical therapies can treat an IUGR-associated brain injury. We employed acupuncture to treat a 6-month-old male patient with severe hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) due to IUGR, as confirmed by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Three courses of acupuncture treatment significantly improved some of the patient’s clinical characteristics, such as his insensitive responsiveness and motor deficits, with remarkably reversed HIE features on MRI at 1-year of age. This case suggests that acupuncture is a potential treatment option for an IUGR-associated brain injury and warrants further investigation.

Key words: acupuncture, fetal growth retardation, brain injuries, hypoxia-ischemia, brain, magnetic resonance imaging, neuronal plasticity

Cite this article

XIN Zhixiong, LI Jiyuan, XU Yanni, LING Jing, JIANG Min, YU Yutian. Acupuncture on intrauterine growth restriction associated brain injury: case study including use of magnetic resonance imaging[J]. Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 2023, 43(3): 602-605.