Clinical study of lumbar spine stenosis treated by using acupotomy combined with oriental medical treatments.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of acupotomy in patients with degenerative lumbar spine stenosis.

METHODS: A total of 437 patients who had been diagnosed as having lumbar spine stenosis and who had been admitted to Daejeon Oriental hospital from June 1, 2008, to September 31, 2012, were included in this study. The patients underwent acupotomy once, twice or three times on the lumbar spine, according to their symptoms. Then, the patients were asked to complete the verbal numeric rating scale (VNRS) and the oswestry disability index (ODI) before and after acupotomy and underwent a global assessment. The resulting data were analyzed.

RESULTS: The gender ratio of the participants was 1:1.54, and the mean age was 65 ± 10.0 yr. The number of patients over the age of 65 yr was less than that of the patients under the age of 65 yr in the ratio of 1:1.3. The average disease period was 30.17 ± 56.63 months. The verbal numeric rating scale (VNRS) significantly decreased from 10 to an average of 7.10 ± 2.50 after one acupotomy, 6.30 ± 2.60 after two acupotomies, and 5.50 ± 2.50 after three acupotomies. The ODI was significantly decrease from 20.60 ± 8.70 to 17.80 ± 8.60 after once acupotomy, 17.10 ± 8.50 after two acupotomies, and 16.70 ± 8.60 after three acupotomies. High scores were also observed on the global assessment.

CONCLUSION: These results provide evidence that acupotomy is effective to relieve pain and to improve quality of life in patients with degenerative lumbar spinal stenosis.