Objective

2

To observe the clinical effectiveness of point ligation therapy combined with catgut embedment in acupoint for patients with refractory facial paralysis， and to explore the possible mechanisms from the perspective of neurotrophic factors.

Methods

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Totally 168 patients with intractable facial paralysis were randomly divided into point ligation plus catgut embedment group and electroacupuncture group， with 84 cases in each group. Both groups took methylcobalamin tablets orally， on the basis of which the point ligation plus catgut embedment group gave point ligation therapy at Quanliao （SI 18）， Dicang （ST 4）， Jiache （ST 6）， and catgut embedment in the local acupoints on the affected side combined with the distal acupoints， and the point ligation therapy combined with catgut embedment in acupoint was performed once every 30 days for three treatments； the electroacupuncture group took the same acupoints and gave electroacupuncture， with sparse and dense waves， once every other day. Both groups were treated for 90 days. Before treatment and after 30， 60， 90 and 120 days （follow-up）， patients of both groups were observed for House-Brackmann Facial Nerve Grading （HB） and modified Portmann score； facial nerve electromyography was performed before treatment and after 90 days of treatment to record the wave amplitude and latency of facial nerve motor conduction， and serum brain-derived nerve growth factor （BDNF）， nerve growth factor （NGF）， fibroblast growth factor （FGF2） levels were determined. The clinical effectiveness of both groups after 90 days of treatment was compared， and the adverse events occurred in the course of treatment in all patients were recorded.

Results

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At 30 days， 60 days， 90 days and follow-up visits， the HB grading of patients in both groups improved compared with that before treatment （

P

＜0.05）； the distribution of the number of patients with HB grading in the point ligation plus catgut embedment group was superior to that in the electroacupuncture group after 60 days and 90 days of treatment and at follow-up visits （

P

＜0.05）. The maximal amplitude of the facial nerve electromyography in both groups after 90 days of treatment was large， and the latency was shorter when compared with those before treatment （

P

＜0.05）， and the maximum wave amplitude of the point ligation plus catgut embedment group was higher than that of the electro-acupuncture group， and the latency period was shorter than that of the electro-acupuncture group （

P

＜0.05）. The modified Portmann scores of the both groups of patients after 30， 60 and 90 days of treatment and follow-up were higher than those before treatment， and the scores of the point ligation plus catgut embedment group were higher than those of the electroacupuncture group （

P

＜0.05）. Serum BDNF， NGF and FGF2 levels in both groups after 90 days of treatment were higher than before， and the point ligation plus catgut embedment group was significantly higher than the electroacupuncture group （

P

＜0.05）. The total clinical effective rate of the point ligation

plus catgut embedment group （92.68%） was higher than that of the electroacupuncture group （81.01%，

P

＜0.05）. Adverse reactions occurred in both groups， mainly including local haematoma or subcutaneous bleeding， allergic reaction， severe pain， and needle fainting， all of which disappeared after symptomatic treatment.

Conclusion

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The point ligation therapy combined with catgut embedment in acupoint for patients with refractory facial paralysis are effective. The therapy improve the facial nerve function， and its mechanism of action may be related to increasing the level of serum neurotrophic factor and thus promoting facial nerve repairment.