Diagnostic Value of Lanwei Acupuncture Point for Acute Appendicitis

Document Type : Original Article (s)

Authors

1 Associate Professor, Department of Anesthesiology, School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran

2 Student of Medicine, School of Medicine AND Student Research Committee, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran

3 Assistant Professor, Department of General Surgery, School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran

Abstract

Background: Appendicitis is the most common cause of acute abdomen often hard to be diagnosed that leads to high incidence of negative laparotomy. Therefore, clinical methods for the diagnosis of appendicitis with high sensitivity are necessary. This study aimed to evaluate the diagnostic value of Lanwei acupuncture point for acute appendicitis.Methods: 150 patients admitted to Alzahra and Kashani hospitals, Isfahan, Iran, with suspected appendicitis were entered the study. The patients were examined using the tests Mcburney and Lanwei and then, went to the operating room and the appendix was assessed by pathologist. Finally, the results of pathology were compared with the results of Mcburney and Lanwei tests using t, chi-square test and ANOVA tests.Findings: For Lanwei test, the sensitivity, specificity, false positive and false negative values were 22.6%, 23.5%, 77.4% and 76.5%, respectively, with the accuracy of 22.7%. But Mcburney test, the sensitivity, specificity, false positive and false negative values were 95.5%, zero, 100% and 4.5%, respectively, with the accuracy of 84.7%.Conclusion: The Lanwei test did not have high agreement with the results of pathology other clinical criteria of diagnosiing such as Mcburney test.

Keywords

References

  1. Brunicardi F, Andersen D, Billiar T, Dunn D, Hunter J, Matthews J, et al. Schwartz's principles of surgery. 9th ed. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill; 2009. p. 1071-2, 1080.
  2. Old JL, Dusing RW, Yap W, Dirks J. Imaging for suspected appendicitis. Am Fam Physician 2005; 71(1): 71-8.
  3. Diehl DL. Acupuncture for gastrointestinal and hepatobiliary disorders. J Altern Complement Med 1999; 5(1): 27-45.
  4. Bensky D, OConnor J. Acupuncture, a comprehensive text. Seattle, WA: Eastland Press; 1981. p. 40, 271, 639-40.
  5. Jayasuriya A. Acupuncture Science. Colombo, Sri Lanka: Acupuncture Foundation of Sri Lanka; 1982.
  6. SleisengerMH, FordtranJS. Gastrointestinal disease: pathophysiology, diagnosis, management. 3rd ed. Philadelphia, PA: Saunders; 1983. p. 247.
  7. Levy JH, Texidor MS. The lack of importance of Lanwei point in the diagnosis of acute appendicitis. Pain 1988; 33(1): 79-80.
  8. Alt-Epping S, Ostermann T, Schmidt J, Zirngibl H. Diagnosis of appendicitis with particular consideration of the acupuncture point Lanwei--a prospective study. Forsch Komplementarmed Klass Naturheilkd 2002; 9(6): 338-45. [In German].
  9. Al-Ajerami Y. Sensitivity and specificity of ultrasound in the diagnosis of acute appendicitis. East Mediterr Health J 2012; 18(1): 66-9.
Journal of Isfahan Medical School
Volume 33, Issue 363 - Serial Number 363
November and December 2016
Pages 2172-2178

Files

History

  • Receive Date: 13 September 2015
  • Revise Date: 27 May 2024
  • Accept Date: 06 April 2022

Share

How to cite

Statistics