Gold bead implants

Dr. Terry Durkes kindly sent us an updated version of his 1992 publication, which he compiled in 2007 accompanying a lecture he gave and which has not been published yet.

He and his team started their “research in gold bead implant for hip dysplasia and epilepsy in 1975”. In the beginning most of the patients were German Shepherd dogs with hip dysplasia. A small number of gold beads was placed at certain acupuncture points. In their examinations they realised, however, that an initial joint problem may develop into a joint-muscle problem, as the hip subluxating out of the joint “was causing stress on the origin and insertion of the muscles of the hip joint”. With increasing experience further acupuncture points were identified and treated and also the number of gold beads placed in each acupuncture point was increased.

As a result of the treatment, first the excess movement in the joint is halted, which “stops the pain and causes a gradual reabsorption of the arthritis in the joint”. After several months the reabsorption of the arthritis is seen in X-ray images. Due to the chronic subluxation of the joint an excessive negative charge is built up around the joint (corresponding to a local alkalosis), and “the positive charge of the gold beads neutralises the negative charge of the acupuncture” points.

Durkes found out that hip dysplasia, osteochondritis, osteochondritis dissecans of the shoulder, arthritis of the elbow and knee, spondylosis of the back, wobbler disease and epileptic seizures respond well to gold implantation.

Before the gold bead implantation the hair is clipped in the implantation area and the area is surgically scrubbed. “The first implant should be done under general anaesthesia.” Magrain gold beads or 24-carate gold wire is used for the implants, the latter having a higher positive charge, but the gold beads yield similar results. The implants are inserted by means of a 14-gauge hollow needle, and “an antibiotic ointment is placed in” its “bevel to hold the beads in the needle”.

Usually the “gold beads are placed between the muscle bellies and not into the muscle” – only around the head, elbow or knee are they often placed just under the skin. The more blood is seen while placing the gold beads and the darker it is, the greater the pathology. If no blood is seen, the implantation was most likely not successful.

About 40% of the cases treated by Durkes and his team are hip dysplasia, the most frequent ones are German Shepherd dogs. The success rate has been consistent over the years: for dogs under 7 years of age it‘s more than 98%, for dogs from 7 to 12 years around 75% and for dogs over 12 years about 50%. “In dogs over 7 years the most common reason for failure is a concurrent case of generative myopathy”, here the best success rate is 50%. For hip dysplasia four basic acupuncture points are treated as well as a series of additional points in the surrounding regions. Where further points show up during the search, these are treated as well. Both hips should always be treated. In dogs with an additional spondylosis (about 30%), this, too, needs to be treated. Also torn anterior cruciate ligaments need to be checked for.

Many dogs with arthritis of the elbow can be helped, too. Besides some main acupuncture points, many further trigger points are often found. Osteochondritis of the shoulder and arthritis of the stifle joint also respond well to the gold bead implantation. Here, too, further trigger points are found in addition to acupuncture points. Carpal and tarsal joints rarely have to be treated – often, however, dogs with wobbler disease. Also dogs with epileptic seizures respond well to gold implantation. Often the medication can be stopped or at least reduced. In this case, too, additional trigger points are treated besides basic points in the head region.

Proceed to updated version of 2007 (with kind permission of the author) ...