Clin Endosc.  2014 May;47(3):258-261. 10.5946/ce.2014.47.3.258.

A Needle Penetrating the Stomach Cavity after Acupuncture

• Lee SW
• Ahn JY
• Choi WJ
• Kim EJ
• Bae SH
• Choi YS
• Jung HY
• Kim JH

• KMID: 2049023
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.5946/ce.2014.47.3.258

Abstract

Although acupuncture is known as a safe procedure that is widely used in many countries, complications including infection, hemorrhage, hematoma, pneumothorax, nerve damage, and cardiac tamponade have been reported. A needle penetrating the stomach after acupuncture, however, is very rare. Here, we report the case of 47-year-old woman who experienced abdominal pain 2 days after receiving acupuncture. Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy identified an approximately 2.5-cm long needle in the posterior wall of the antrum. The needle was removed endoscopically using rat tooth forceps with no complications.

Keyword

Foreign body; Endoscopic removal; Stomach; Acupuncture complication; Needles

MeSH Terms

Abdominal Pain
Acupuncture*
Animals
Cardiac Tamponade
Endoscopy, Gastrointestinal
Female
Foreign Bodies
Hematoma
Hemorrhage
Humans
Middle Aged
Needles*
Pneumothorax
Rats
Stomach*
Surgical Instruments
Tooth

Figure

• 

  Fig. 1 Abdominal radiography findings. A radio-opaque, 25-mm-long needle is seen in the stomach (white arrowhead).

• 

  Fig. 2 Abdominal computed tomography findings. A 25-mm-long acupuncture needle with high attenuation is seen embedded in the posterior wall of the gastric antrum (white arrowhead).

• 

  Fig. 3 Endoscopic findings. A needle is embedded in the posterior wall of the antrum with edematous mucosal change around the needle (white arrowhead). Mucosal erosion and inflammation are seen on the opposite side of the needle (black arrowhead).

• 

  Fig. 4 Endoscopic removal of the needle. (A, B) Rat tooth forceps were used to grasp and remove the needle. (C) An endoscopic hood was used to retract the needle for the prevention of other mucosal injury. (D) A 25-mm needle was removed without complications.

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