NCT07125716

Suture Length Effects in Acupoint Implantation for Abdominal Obesity

Effects of Different Lengths of Surgical Sutures in Acupoint Catgut Implantation on Simple Abdominal Obesity in Adults

• Status: Active Not Recruiting
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 78 (estimated)
• Sponsor: Chang Gung Memorial Hospital · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years – 65 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Accepted

Summary

Obesity is a metabolic disorder and has become a global health issue with a steadily increasing prevalence. According to the Health Promotion Administration's statistical report, the overweight and obesity rate among adults in Taiwan was 50.3% between 2017 and 2020. Based on the Ministry of Health and Welfare's criteria, a BMI ≥27 kg/m² is classified as obese. Studies have shown that acupuncture can effectively reduce body weight with low cost and minimal side effects. Acupoint catgut embedding is a treatment method that combines traditional meridian acupuncture with modern medical materials by implanting surgical sutures into acupoints to provide continuous stimulation. A 2022 systematic review found that catgut embedding is more effective than traditional acupuncture, requires fewer treatment sessions, and has a high safety profile. However, no studies have yet investigated whether different lengths of implanted surgical sutures affect treatment outcomes. This study is a single-center, double-blind, randomized controlled trial aimed at identifying the optimal suture length for acupoint catgut embedding, in order to enhance its efficiency and therapeutic effect.

Conditions

• Abdominal Obesity
• Obesity

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
DEVICE	1 inch	1 inch suture length
DEVICE	0.5 inch	0.5 inch suture length

Timeline

• Start date: 2025-08-01
• Primary completion: 2026-06-30
• Completion: 2026-07-31
• First posted: 2025-08-15
• Last updated: 2025-08-15

Locations

1 site across 1 country: Taiwan