• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.25-30
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• 2013

Objectives : The Purpose of this study is to evaluate the effect of the deep thermo-conductive acupuncture therapy for the patients with lateral epicondylitis of the elbow. Methods : Thirteen patients with lateral epicondylitis were included from April 2011 to December 2012 and all the patients were treated with the deep thermo-conductive acupuncture therapy. Then we checked visual analog scale(VAS) scores of the patients at every hospital visit, and compared the differences for before and after treatment. We also divided them into 3 age groups(in 40s, 50s, 60s) and 4 groups of the duration of illness(~1 week, ~1month, ~6 months, 6 months ~), and compared the effects for 3 age groups as well as 4 groups of duration of illness. Results : 1. VAS scores had been changed significantly from $6.0769{\pm}1.5390$ to $3.3077{\pm}1.9207$(p=0.005). 2. No significant differences were found between 3 age groups(p=0.968) as well as 4 groups of the duration of illness(p=0.724). Conclusions : This study suggests that deep thermo-conductive acupuncture therapy is effective for healing of the lateral epicondylitis of elbow. But the age and the duration of illness seem to have no influence on results.

• Proceedings of the Materials Research Society of Korea Conference
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• 2009.05a
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• pp.7.1-7.1
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• 2009

The use of Duplex stainless steel as a thermo-implant categorizes into two clinical applications: hyperthermia and thermal ablation or destruction. The goal of hyperthermia is to destroy the heat-sensitive abnormal cells and minimize normal cell death maintaining heat between $42^{\circ}C$ and $46^{\circ}C$. Thermal ablation takes place when the local tissue temperature increases greater than $46^{\circ}C$. This elevated temperature denatures protein irreversibly resulting cellular death. The author introduced several thermo-implants such as thermo-rod, thermo-stent, thermo-coil and thermoacupuncture-needle. Those thermo-implants are made of duplex stainless steel which can produce regulated heat by itself within an induction magnetic field. Thermal ablation characteristics of the thermo-rod on tumor hyperthermia depend on configurations of the thermo-rods and the magnitude of the induction magnetic strength. The exothermic properties of the thermo-implants can be characterized using the calorimetric test and the heat affected zone(HAZ) analyses in vitro. Thermal radiation studies using thermo-coils and thermo-stents show the capability of the occlusion of animal blood vessels and inhibiting the proliferation of the abnormal smooth muscle cell growth and inflammatory cell reactions maintaining the heat between $42^{\circ}C$ and $46^{\circ}C$ minimizing a normal cell death in the study on external iliac artery of the New Zealand White (NZW) rabbit. Thermal stimulation study using thermo-acupuncture needles suggests the potential applications of the automated acupunctural therapies.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.69-84
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• 2007

Objectives : Intelligent thermo-acupuncture system (ITA-system) is invented for the convenient operation of thermo-acupuncture therapy. The aim of this study is to investigate the safety of 100 ㎑ electromagnetic field (EMF) made by ITA-system. Methods : We analysed the influence of this EMF on animals. In order to do experiment in the influence of EMF, male ICR mice were exposed to EMF at different distances from the ITA-system. And we examined weight, diet, behavior, organ and hematological changes. Results & Conclusions : According to the animal studies with mice about EMF influence, there was no significant difference between the control group and the exposed groups about them. In conclusion, the safety of 100 ㎑ EMF made from ITA-system through this animal research was checked.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.133-141
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• 2011

Objectives : Although the thermo-sensitivity test in Well points in 12 Meridians(井穴知熱感度測定法) has been used for several decades, it is still performed by a manual way, and lack in objectivity consequently. To make it more objective, accurate and convenient test, we have developed a novel system to test thermo-sensitivity in Well points. Methods : To enhance the blindness of the test, we made a shielded system which give heat to some fingers of subjects in random way. To perform the test in quantitative manner, we developed a fully automated, computer-controlled system composed of heating bulbs and response button array. Results : The developed system showed linearity in heating the finger phantom. It also gave acceptable but interesting features in pilot tests with several young adult subjects. Conclusions : By the developed system, we could improve objectivity and convenience of the thermo-sensitivity test in Well points.

• Korean Journal of Oriental Medicine
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.103-110
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• 2012

Objectives : Fire needling has been applied as the treatment for various diseases and been getting much attention from Oriental medicine due to its excellent effectiveness as the results of clinical studies have reported. However, the research findings on the safety of treatment method, materials for the Fire needling needle materials and the possibility of burn injury during the procedure are still insufficient. Methods : A thermo imaging camera was used to confirm the temperature distribution on acupuncture needle and the treatment area during the fire needling therapy. Then the degree of thermal injury was observed by H&E stain and TUNEL assay. In addition, in order to assess the safety of acupuncture materials, we conducted MTT assay using a L6 cell line. Results : The average temperature of the skin surface was observed at $47{\sim}51^{\circ}C$ after classic fire needling and $30^{\circ}C$ after warming fire needling. Warming fire needling therapy does not induce a burn on the tissue and a third degree burn was observed locally in the muscle and skin layers after classic fire needling treatment. This confirms that hwa-acupuncture therapies do not cause major burns. According to the safety assessment test result, no cytotoxicity was detected in the warming fire needling materials. This confirms the safety of the acupuncture materials Conclusions : Various research results on the biological safety of fire needling. Since fire needling therapy induces a burn locally without leaving any scar, and as other results indicate, it is considered a safe treatment method.