A Case of Acupuncture-induced Infectious Sacroiliitis

Lee, Tae Hwan; Kang, Seon Mi; Ko, Kang Suk; Han, Hyo Jin; Kim, Hui Jung; Kim, Jae Moon; Yoo, Wan Hee

Abstract

Infectious sacroiliitis is an uncommon disease and the diagnosis is very difficult due to unawareness of the disease. The predisposing conditions to the disease are pelvic trauma, respiratory or genitourinary infection, skin infection, pregnancy, endocarditis, intravenous drug abuser and recent dental manipulation. The clinical characteristics of the disease are fever, leukocytosis, pain and tenderness of buttock, gait disturbance and positive result of blood culture and imaging study of sacroiliac joint. To our knowledge, the acupuncture induced infectious sacroiliitis with bacteremia is one of the rarely reported cases. We have recently experienced a case of infectious sacroiliitis as a very unusual complication of the acupuncture. In this case, increased signal intensity in the SI joint was found in the MRI, and focal hot uptake in SI joint was observed in bone scan. Staphyolococcus areus were cultured in the blood sample. Under the diagnosis of infectious sacroiliitis with bacteremia, the antibiotics was administered, and the clinical symptoms and laboratory findings were completely improved. This case report emphasizes that an acupuncture is a predisposing factor of the infectious sacroiliitis with bacteremia.