Objective To observe the effect of manual acupuncture and electroacupuncture(EA)on ultrastructure of facial nerve Schwann cells

myelin sheath and mitochondria in facial nerve injury rabbits

so as to explore its mechanism underlying improving facial palsy.Methods A total of 50 New Zealand rabbits were randomly divided into normal

sham-operation

model

MA and EA groups(n=10 in each group).Facial nerve injury model was made by clamping the facial nerve for 5 min using apair of forceps.Manual needle stimulation(mild reinforcing-reducing)or EA(continuous wave

20 Hz)was applied to"Dicang"(ST 4)

"Xiaguan"(ST 7)

"Taiyang"(EX-HN 5)and "Yangbai"(GB 14)on the injured sides for 4 weeks

30 min each day.The facial nerve motion score was performed every 7 days.The ultrastructure of facial nerve was observed by electron microscope after 28 days' treatment.Results There were no significant differences in behavioral score and ultrastructure in normal and sham-operation groups(P>0.05).Compared with the normal group

facial nerve motion scores

ultrastructural morphological changes and the number of axons per unit area

myelin sheath thickness and axon area were worse in the model group(P<0.05).After treatment

facial nerve motion scores

ultrastructural morphological changes and the number of axons per unit area

myelin sheath thickness and axon area in the two treatment groups were better than those in the model group(P<0.05)

and EA worked better than MA(P <0.05).Conclusion In the treatment of facial nerve injury

EA can promote axoplasmic mitochondrial proliferation

myelin sheath recovery and axonal regeneration more effectively than MA

which may be one of the mechanisms that EA therapy is superior to MA.