• Journal of the Korea Institute of Information and Communication Engineering
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• v.19 no.12
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• pp.2785-2791
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• 2015

In this paper, neddle detection algorithm for the removal of needle stuck into skin in oriental clinic is presented. First, in the proposed method, potential candidate areas of each needle are selected by using the morphological open operation in a gray image, and the false candidates are removed by considering their area size. Next, edge points are extracted using canny edge detector in selected candidate areas, line segments are approximated using the edge points. Based on the direction of line segment and the distance between two line segments, two main line segments of the needle are extracted. The final verification of needle is accomplished by using the morphological analysis of these two line segments. In the experiments, the detection rate of proposed method reaches to 97.5% for the 16 images containing 119 needles.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.175-185
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• 2008

Objective : Acupuncture (from the Latin acus, "needle," and pungere, "to prick") is a technique of inserting and manipulating fine needles at specific points on the body. As a placebo acupuncture needle device was developed based on the visual impact of needling, it has been raised that it is useful only when acupuncture points and needling are visible to subjects. To examine the visual factor of the placebo acupuncture, the present study was aimed to compare the blinding index of the verum and placebo acupuncture between masked and unmasked situation. Methods : Thirty-six patients were randomly alloted to be stimulated with a verum or placebo acupuncture in a cross-over design. They were asked to guess a right answer whether they were stimulated with the verum or placebo acupuncture at LI4 in an unmasked or masked situation. The penetrating, pain, and deqi sensations were also measured after the stimulation using modified visual analogue scale. Results : The correct answer rate of the placebo acupuncture was 22.2% and 16.7% in an unmasked and masked situation, respectively (P>0.767). The blinding index of the placebo acupuncture was -0.56 (95%CI -0.84 to -0.27) and -0.67 (95%CI -0.91 to -0.42) in an unmasked and masked situation, respectively. The penetrating and deqi sensation of the verum acupuncture were significantly higher than those of the placebo acupuncture in both unmasked and masked situation. The pain sensation of the verum acupuncture was significantly higher than that of the placebo acupuncture in masked situation, but not in unmasked situation. Conclusion : Blinding of the placebo acupuncture was successful both in the unmasked and masked situation. These finding indicate that visual factor might not play a critical role in blinding of the placebo needle. We suggest that placebo needle would be also useful in a functional magnetic resonance imaging scan even when the subject could not see the placebo needle.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.62-67
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• 2000

Background and Purpose: Sybsun-points are located at the tips of all fingers, 0.1chon from the finger nails, totaling 10 points on both hands. These points have been used for emergency care, fainting, epilepsy, cerebrovascular accidents, hypertension, unconsciousness, high fever etc. The most common technique is bleeding with a needle at these points. Hypertension and fever are the main factors for stroke patients’progress. We investigated whether venesection at Sybsun-points has effects on blood pressure and body temperature in stroke patients. Materials and Methods: 79 stroke patients were enrolled in this study from 1 Jan. 1999 to 30 Sep. 1999. All of them were admitted in Kyunghee University, Hospital of Oriental Medicine. Among them, 62 patients were hypertensive people, 17 were normal. Among the hypertensive patients, 27 were stage 1,20 were stage 2, 15 were stage 3 by classification of JNC 1997. All of the hypertensive patients had been taking drugs, while the normal group did not. From 2pm to 3pm, every 30 minutes we checked patients' blood pressure and body temperature by 24ABPM and tympanic thermometer. After 30 minutes passed, we phlebotomized patients Sybsun-points with Samneung needle 2-3cc of blood. Right after the bleeding, we checked blood pressure and body temperature. After the bleeding, for the next hour and a half, we checked each patient’s blood pressure and body temperature every thirty minutes, or a total of three times. We compared the blood pressure and the body temperature before and after treatment(p<0.05). Results: 1. Venesection at Sybsun-points significantly decreased systolic blood pressure on stage 3 hypertensive patients(p<0.0l). 2. Venesection at Sybsun-points significantly decreased diastolic blood pressure on stage 3 hypertensive patients(p<0.05) 3. Venesection at Sybsun-points had no effect on the change of body temperature. Conclusions: Though further study is needed, our findings suggest that Venesection at Sybsun-points may alleviate hypertension in stroke patients.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.63-67
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• 2010

Purpose: A tension pneumothorax is a fatal condition that requires immediate intervention. Although a definitive treatment for a tension pneumothorax is a tube thoracostomy, needle decompression can provide temporary relief, that is lifesaving. The traditional procedure for needle decompression involves inserting a needle or catheter at the second intercostal space, the midclavicular line. Recent evidence suggests that the commonly used catheters do not have sufficiently penetrate the chest wall. There are also claims that a lateral approach to needle decompression is easier and safer than the traditional anterior approach. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the optimal approach for needle decompression for the Korean population by measuring chest wall thicknesses at the points used for both the anterior and the lateral approaches. Methods: The chest wall thickness (CWT) of trauma victims who visited the Emergency Center of Pusan National University Hospital was measured by computed tomography (CT) images. The CWT was measured at the points used for the anterior and the lateral methods and was compared with the length of commonly used catheters, which is 45 mm. Results: The mean CWT at the second intercostal space, the midclavicular line, was shorter than the CWT at the 5th intercostal space, the anterior axillary line. However, the percentage of patients whose CWT was greater than 45 mm was larger when measured anteriorly (8.2%) that when measure laterally (5.7%). Female patients and those older than 60 were more likely to have an anterior CWT greater than 45 mm (28.2% for females and 15.5% for those older than 60). Conclusion: The percentage of trauma victims in Korea whose CWT is greater than 45 mm is lower than the values previously reported by other countries. However, females and older patients tend to have thicker chest walls, so the lateral approach would be suggested when performing needle decompression for such patients with suspected tension pneumothoraces.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.1-6
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• 2016

Objectives : The purpose of this report is to inform readers of the important aspects of about acupuncture and the process of Hwangjenaegyeong Yongchu. Methods : We researched the word 'acupuncture' through Hwangjenaegyeong Youngchu. We formed three categories according to the meanings of the key aspects of acupuncture in each sentence. Results : In Hwangjenaegyeong Youngchu, the meanings of the key aspects of acupuncture (刺鍼之要) are follows : 1. The key aspect of acupuncture(刺鍼之要) is to control Gi & Sin(調氣治神). 2. Before administering acupuncture, a doctor must know Meridian, acu-points, contraindication of nature, Bo-sa acupuncture(補瀉), Deug Gi(得氣), the role of the acupuncture needle(官鍼), the number of the needle, Gi & condition of patients, and pulse diagnosis. 3. For acupuncture, there are several things to be aware of : contraindication of acupuncture, deleteriousness of acupuncture, acu-points, and Bo-sa acupuncture(補瀉).

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.36-41
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• 1989

Splanchnic nerve block is performed to relieve intractable upper abdominal pain caused by carcinoma of the pancreas, stomach, liver, or colon; and upper abdominal metastasis of tumors having more distant origins. We have performed splanchnic nerve blocks under control of X-ray fluoroscopy, for all cases of alcohol splanchnic nerve block at $L_1$ vertebra, to determine both the position of the needle tips and the spread of contrast media. During the period from December 1987 to August 1988, this method was used in 40 cases of malignancy at Severance Hospital and we clinically evaluated the location of the needle tip and the spread of contrast media. The results were as follows: 1) Our method was a retrocrural approach, the splanchnic nerve block, in all cases. 2) Most of the inserted needle points were located in the upper and anterolateral part of the $L_1$ vertebra on the antero posterior roentagenogram and in the upper quarter anteriorly on the lateral roentgenogram. 3) There was no specific relationship between the location of the needle and the spread of the contrast media. 4) The contrast media was spread around the needle and then upward along the anterior margin of the vertebral body in most of the cases. 5) Pain relief was obtained immediately in 37 cases (92.5%), but in 3 cases only after a second splanchnic nerve block.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.242-246
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• 2010

Background: The first sacral nerve root block (S1NRB) is a common procedure in pain clinic for patients complaining of low back pain with radiating pain. It can be performed in the office based setting without C-arm. The previously suggested method of locating the needle entry point begins with identifying the posterior superior iliac spine (PSIS). Then a line is drawn between two points, one of which is 1.5 cm medical to the PSIS, and the other of which is 1.5 cm lateral and cephalad to the ipsilateral cornu. After that, one point on the line, which is 1.5 cm cephalad to the level of the PSIS, is considered as the needle entry point. The purpose of this study was to analyze the location of needle entry point and palpated PSIS in S1NRB. Methods: Fifty patients undergoing C-arm guided S1NRB in the prone position were examined. The surface anatomical relationships between the palpated PSIS and the needle entry point were assessed. Results: The analysis revealed that the transverse and vertical distance between the needle entry point and PSIS were $28.7{\pm}8.8mm$ medially and $3.5{\pm}14.0mm$ caudally, respectively. The transverse distance was $27.8{\pm}8.3mm$ medially for male and $29.5{\pm}9.3mm$ medially for female. The vertical distance was $1.0{\pm}14.1mm$ cranially for male and $8.1{\pm}12.7mm$ caudally for female. Conclusions: The needle entry point in S1NRB is located on the same line or in the caudal direction from the PSIS in a considerable number of cases. Therefore previous recommended methods cannot be applied to many cases.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.159-168
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• 2010

Objective: ZhangJinYoPian(藏珍要編, ZJYP) is a book witten by Song-WooGe in the late 19th century. While Korea has lost this book to tell us Korea traditional acupuncture treatment in the late 19th century, This book appeared as a manuscript in Japan. There is no reaserch or study carried out for this book. Furthermore, a few people know existence of this book. So I analyzed acupuncture treatment of the ZJYP and sort out the distinctive feature of it. Method: For that, I studied bibliographic information of this book and classified contents of it into three parts - medical thought, needle manipulation and acupoint selection to consider it's caracteristics. Results and Conclusions: 1. The author of ZJYP thought that weakness of good power in the body and strongness of evil power out of the body cause a disease. so Doctor should examine quality of both to care patient's pain. 2. The author of ZJYP thought that needle manipulation is one of the most important thing. Doctors can use needle manipulation to control patient condition. Especially, he suggested cooling and heating manipulation except reinforcement and reduction. 3. He stressed viscera and bowels. he located viscera and bowels theory in front of the book to explain relationship of these. It shows us that ZJYP maintained academic characteristics of acupuncture in Chosun-Korea. 4. While He minimized the number of acupoints used in treatment, he multiplied its combination. He selected one or two acupoints from each meridian pathway. It include Eight Confluent points(八脈交會穴). But these points were used in different ways to control the viscera and bowels, not to care the eight extra meridians.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.264-271
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• 2013

Objectives : To observe the changes in the expression of neurotransmitters NO and enzymes that create NO, such as nNOS, iNOS and eNOS, upon the needle insertion on river point, one of the five transport points of three yang meridians on the forefoot. Methods : Based on rats, needle was inserted on both sides of LI5, SI5 and TE6, which are river points of three yang meridians on the forefoot, and were retained for five minutes. After the retention, blood was drawn via cardiac puncture and tissues from each point around meridian vessels were extracted to be examined on the changes of the expression of NO, as well as of nNOS, iNOS and eNOS. Results : In terms of the effect on NO creation in tissues, none of the experimental groups showed any significant change compared to the Normal group. In terms of the effect on expression of nNOS within tissues, LI5 and SI5 showed significant increase based on the results of immunohistochemistry. In iNOS within tissues, LI5 and SI5 showed significant increase based on the results of immunohistochemistry. In eNOS within tissues, SI5 showed significant increase based on the results of immunohistochemistry. Conclusions : The effect on the function of NO, nNOS, iNOS and eNOS of needle insertion on the river points of three yang meridians on the forefoot could be observed, and based on this study, it is considered that the effect of needle stimulation on the changes of nervous system could be found out through additional research.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.97-103
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• 2013

Objectives : To observe the changes in the expression of nNOS, iNOS, eNOS and NO by the needle insertion on river points, one of the five transport points of three yang meridians of the foot. Methods : Based on rats, needle was inserted on both left and right sides of ST41, BL60 and GB38 and retained for five minutes. After the retention, blood was drawn via cardiac puncture and tissues from each point around meridian vessels were extracted to observe the changes in the expression of nNOS, iNOS, eNOS and NO. Results : In terms of the effect on expression of nNOS within tissues, ST41 showed significant decrease based on the results of immunohistochemistry. In terms of the effect on expression of iNOS within tissues, none of the experimental groups showed any significant change compared to the Normal group. Regarding expression of eNOS within tissues, GB38 showed significant increase based on the results of immunohistochemistry. In terms of the effect on NO creation in tissues, none of the experimental groups showed any significant change compared to the Normal group. Conclusions : The effect of needle insertion on the river points of three yang meridians of the foot on the function of nNOS, iNOS, eNOS and NO could be observed, and based on this study, it is considered that the effect of needle stimulation on the changes of nervous system could be found out through additional research.