Abstract:

BACKGROUND: Acupotomology is a minimally invasive technique, which has been developing so fast that hospitals throughout China began acupotomy services. 
OBJECTIVE: To explore the possibility of acupotomology becoming an independent discipline and its academic position.
METHODS: The database of CNKI was retrieved for papers published between January 1979 and May 2009. At the same time, relative monograph was searched by manual. The language was restricted as Chinese. Literature concerning following aspects were included: musculature; relationship between musculature and soft tissues; the effects of soft tissue changes on peripheral nerve, blood vessel, joint, or prostate; and CT imaging. The repeat literature was excluded. 
RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONG: Acupotomology, made full use of sufficient research basis and unique research content, can form a unique theoretical system and corresponding treatment technologies. The article describes the possibility of acupotomology to become an independent discipline. It found that the acupotomology was come from Chinese medicine, and closely related to multiple disciplines and various clinical departments. It can develop into an independent discipline in medical science as a new independent branch, and it is a very cross-disciplinary development, and a new discipline of TCM. However, the study of acupotomology faces the problems of low academic maturity, lack of standardization, inadequate education, as well as weak scientific research foundation.