Safe depth of abdominal acupoints in pediatric patients

To evaluate the depths to which acupuncture needles can be inserted safely (safe depth) in 12 abdominal acupoints in pediatric patients. This study also evaluates the variations in safe depth according to sex, age, body weight, and waist girth.

We retrospectively studied computerized tomography (CT) images of pediatric patients aged 7-15 years who had undergone abdominal CT scans at our hospital from January 1997 to March 2006. The safe depth of 12 acupoints along the conception vessel (CV) meridian (Renmai), CV-2 to CV-7 and CV-9 to CV-14, were measured directly on the CT images. The relationship between the safe depth of these acupoints and sex, age, body weight and waist girth was analyzed by one-way ANOVA and multiple linear regression analysis.

A total of 219 patients were included in this study. Except for CV-2, there was no significant difference in safe depth of the other 11 acupoints between sexes. The safe depth of all 12 CV acupoints increased significantly (P<0.001) with age, body weight and waist girth. There were large variations in the safe depth of the 12 points among different age and body weight groups. The safe depths were 1.3-2.1 times deeper in the 12-15-year-old group than in the 7-9-year-old group, and 1.7-3 times deeper in overweight children than in underweight children.

The safe depth to which the 12 abdominal CV meridian acupoints can be needled significantly increases with age, body weight and waist girth in pediatric patients aged 7-15 years. Physicians who perform acupuncture in pediatric patients should be aware of the large variations in safe depth of acupoints to prevent possible complications.