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Table 1 Personalized acupuncture protocol

From: A multicenter randomized trial of personalized acupuncture, fixed acupuncture, letrozole, and placebo letrozole on live birth in infertile women with polycystic ovary syndrome

Point

Stimulation

Location

Anatomy

Muscle innervation

Method

Spleen-yang and kidney-yang deficiency

 Sanyinjiao (bilateral) (SP6)

EA, (+)

3 cun proximal to the medial malleolus

M. flexor digitorum longus, tibialis posterior

L4–5, S1

Puncture perpendicularly 0.5–1.0 cun

 Tianshu (bilateral) (ST25)

A

2 cun lateral to the midline at the level of the umbilicus

Muscle rectus abdominis

Th6–12

Puncture perpendicularly 0.7–1.2 cun

 Zigong (bilateral) (EX-CA1)

A

1 cun cranial to the pubic bone and 3 cun lateral to the midline

M. obliquus externus abdominis, obliquus internus abdominis

Th12, L1

Puncture perpendicularly 0.8–1.2 cun

 Guanyuan (CV4)

A

3 cun caudal to the umbilicus

Fibrous tissue, linea alba

Th12

Puncture perpendicularly 0.8–1.2 cun

 Zhongwan (CV12)

A

4 cun superior to the umbilicus

Fibrous tissue, linea alba

Th8

Puncture perpendicularly 0.8–1.2 cun

 Qihai (CV6)

A

1.5 cun caudal to the umbilicus

Fibrous tissue, linea alba

Th11

Puncture perpendicularly 0.8–1.2 cun

 Fenglong (bilateral) (ST40)

De-qi 4 times, (−)

8 cun superior to lateral malleolus

M. extensor digitorum longus, peroneus M., M. gastrocnemius

L4–5, S1–2

Puncture perpendicularly 0.5–1.0 cun

 Yinlingquan (bilateral) (SP9)

EA, (−)

Below the medial tibia chondyle

M. gastrocnemius

S1–2

Puncture perpendicularly 0.5–1.0 cun

 Zusanli (bilateral)(ST36)

De-qi 4 times, (+)

On the anterior lateral side of the leg, 3 cun below Dubi (ST35), one finger width (middle finger) from the anterior crest of the tibia

M. tibialis anterior, extensor digitorum longus, M. tibialis posterior

L2–4

Puncture perpendicularly 0.5–1.0 cun

Liver-yin and kidney-yin deficiency

 Sanyinjiao (bilateral) (SP6)

EA, (+)

3 cun proximal to the medial malleolus

M. flexor digitorum longus, tibialis posterior

L4–5, S1

Puncture perpendicularly 0.5–1.0 cun

 Tianshu (bilateral) (ST25)

A

3 cun caudal to the umbilicus

Fibrous tissue, linea alba

Th12

Puncture perpendicularly 0.7–1.2 cun

 Zigong (bilateral) (EX-CA1)

A

1 cun cranial to the pubic bone and 3 cun lateral to the midline

M. obliquus externus abdominis, obliquus internus abdominis

Th12, L1

Puncture perpendicularly 0.8–1.2 cun

 Guanyuan (CV4)

A

3 cun caudal to the umbilicus

Fibrous tissue, linea alba

Th12

Puncture perpendicularly 0.8–1.2 cun

 Zhongwan (CV12)

A

4 cun superior to the umbilicus

Fibrous tissue, linea alba

Th8

Puncture perpendicularly 0.5–1.2 cun

 Qihai (CV6)

A

1.5 cun caudal to the umbilicus

Fibrous tissue, linea alba

Th11

Puncture perpendicularly 0.8–1.2 cun

 Fenglong (bilateral) (ST40)

Deqi 4 times, (−)

8 cun superior to the lateral malleolus

Mm. extensor digitorum longus, peroneus M., M. gastrocnemius

L4–5, S1–2

Puncture perpendicularly 0.5–1.0 cun

 Yinlingquan (bilateral) (SP9)

EA, (−)

Below the medial tibia chondyle

M. gastrocnemius

S1–2

Puncture perpendicularly 0.5–1.0 cun

 Taixi (bilateral) (K13)

Deqi 4 times, (+)

Behind the medial malleolus

Fibrous tissue

L3–4

Puncture perpendicularly 0.5–1.0 cun

 Taichong (bilateral) (LR3)

Deqi 4 times, (−)

Between metatarsals I and II, just distal to the caput

M. interosseous dorsalis I

S2–3

Puncture perpendicularly 0.5–1.0 cun

  1. Abbreviations: A acupuncture, CV conception vessel, EA electroacupuncture, EX-CA extra point of chest and abdomen, GV governor vessel, K kidney, L lumbar vertebra, LI large intestine, LR liver, S sacral vertebra, ST stomach, SP spleen, Th thoracic vertebra
  2. +/− signifies that these points have been rotated bidirectionally for tonifying (+) or sedating (−)