Veränderung der Hauttemperatur unter Anwendung der Lasernadelakupunktur bei Frühgeborenen

Abstract

Based on the aversion has not played a major role in Traditional Chinese Medicine.One recently established indication for practicing acupuncture in neonates is the treatment of infantile colic.Laser acupuncture provides a non–invasive therapeutic approach, thus excluding the risk of infection caused by needle injuries. When applying laser acupuncture to premature babies and neonates, the degree of temperature increase to the skin has to be evaluated first in order to guarantee safe application. The subjects were formerly premature babies of the Division of Neonatology at Graz University Hospital, Department of Pediatrics, who underwent tests in the sleep lab before being discharged from hospital.The laser needle used for acupuncture (Laserneedle©, Laserneedle EG GmbH, Germany) provides continuous laser light (wavelength 685 nm), and a performance of 10 mW per laser needle.Laser needle acupuncture was performed simultaneously on both hands at point Large Intestine (LI) 4 (= Hegu). The first stimulation lasted for 5 minutes. After an interval of 10 minutes, a second stimulation was carried out in the same way, this time lasting for 10 minutes.Before laser acupuncture application, as well as 1, 5, and 10 minutes after, respectively, thermographic pictures of both the left and right hand were taken by means of a thermal camera (Flir i5, Flir Systems Inc.©, Portland, USA). Subsequently, the warmest spot was identified and compared over the course of time. The study included 10 premature neonates (7 male/3 female). The measurings were carried out on the 33rd day of life (weight 2,030 g, gestational age 36 weeks +3 days of pregnancy). In comparison to the initial temperature (32.9 °C), after 5 minutes of stimulation (33.9 °C) (p = 0.025), and also after 10 minutes of stimulation (34.0 °C) (p = 0.01), there was a significant increase in the skin temperature.The highest skin temperature measured after stimulation amounted to 37.9 °C. However, compared to the local temperatures reached in trans–cutaneous blood gas measuring still used in the monitoring of premature babies and neonates, the warming of the skin after 5 and 10 minutes, respectively, induced by laser needle acupuncture using Laserneedle© (10 mW/685 nm), doesn't seem to carry any risks.