Clinical observation of superior gluteal nerve entrapment syndrome treated with needle-in-row combined with herb-partition moxibustion / 中国针灸

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To compare the effects of need-in-row combined with herb-partition moxibustion,need-in-row and conventional acupuncture for superior gluteal nerve entrapment syndrome.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Totally 105 patients were randomly assigned into a combination group,a need-in-row group and an acupuncture group,35 cases in each one. In the combination group and needle-in-row group,needle-in-row therapy was used at the pain tendon region of the pathological waist-hip part,and TDP was combined. Also,herb-partition moxibustion was applied at the same part after needle-in-row in the combined group. In the acupuncture group,conventional acupuncture was implemented at Weizhong(BL 40),Yanglingquan(GB 34),Zhibian(BL 54),Huantiao(GB 30),Sanyinjiao(SP 6) and Jiaji of L-L(EX-B 2),and TDP was applied. All the treatment was given once a day for four weeks. The changes of pain scores were compared after treatment.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The pain scores decreased obviously after treatment in all the groups(all<0.05). The scores of the combination group and the needle-in-row group declined more apparently than that of the acupuncture group(both<0.05). The score of the combination group reduced more obviously than that of the needle-in-low group(<0.05). The markedly effective rates of the combination group and the needle-in-row group were 88.6%(31/35) and 68.6%(24/35),which were higher than 40.0%(14/35) of the acupuncture group(both<0.05),and the markedly effective rate of the combination group was better than that of the needle-in-row group(<0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Need-in-row combined with herb-partition moxibustion show definite effect for superior gluteal nerve entrapment syndrome,and it is better than those of simple needle-in-row therapy and conventional acupuncture.</p>

Accessory belly of piriformis, as a cause of superior gluteal neurovascular entrapment.

During routine dissection on 50 years old male cadaver, an accessory belly of piriformis was observed. This accessory belly was superior and parallel to the main piriformis muscle. This was associated with emergence of superior gluteal nerve and superior gluteal artery between the two bellies. Piriformis muscle and its relation to sciatic nerve has been suggested as a cause of piriformis syndrome. But interestingly in the present case, superior gluteal nerve was interposed between two bellies that may help the clinicians to establish a rare yet important cause of piriformis syndrome and a rare cause of undiagnosed chronic pain in gluteal region. As superior gluteal artery was also interposed, so this rare variation holds interest to surgeons especially in isolated buttock claudication despite otherwise normal vascular investigations.