[Study on needling depth and direction from different acupoints to sphenopalatine ganglion].

Objective: To observe and survey the location of Xiaguan (ST 7), "Die'e" and Quanliao (SI 18) on the surface, and the needling depth and direction from the 3 points to sphenopalatine ganglion.
Methods: Fifteen corpses (30 sides) of adult male were fixed by 10% formalin. The lateral areas of face were dissected from the surface to the deep on the 3 acupoints: the electric drill with the kirschner wire punctured towards the sphenopalatine ganglion and extended to the contralateral areas according to different directions of puncturing sphenopalatine ganglion from the 3 acupoints. The corresponding puncturing points of the 3 acupoints were measured by the coordinate location method.
Results: (1) Surface location: the distance between Quanliao (SI 18) and "Die'e" was 21 mm and the distance between Xiaguan (ST 7) and "Die'e" was 17 mm; (2) Inserting depth of each point to sphenopalatine ganglion: the depths of Xiaguan (ST 7), "Die'e" and Quanliao (SI 18) were 49.9 mm, 46.9 mm and 46.6 mm, respectively; (3) The coordinate location of the corresponding puncturing points: the puncturing direction of Xiaguan (ST 7) was anterointernal upper corresponding to the area of connecting center between contralateral Taiyang (EX-HN 5) and Tongziliao (GB 1), the distance between the corresponding inserting point of Xiaguan (ST 7) and Sizhukong (TE 23) was 17.6 mm; the puncturing direction of "Die'e" point was posterointernal upper, and the horizontal distance from the corresponding puncture point to the zygomatic arch was 33 mm and the vertical distance from the corresponding puncture point to the eyes' outer canthus was 42 mm; the puncturing direction of Quanliao (SI 18) was posteriointernal upper and the distance between the corresponding inserting point and the area of contralateral parietal tuber, the distance between the corresponding inserting point of Quanliao (SI 18) and the connecting line of bilateral external acoustic pore was 28 mm, the distance between the corresponding inserting point of Quan-liao (SI 18) and the medial line of the head was 62 mm.
Conclusion: Understanding the surface location, inserting depths and the general puncturing directions of the 3 points can provide basis for puncturing the sphenopalatine ganglion in clinical practice.