Severe Ulnar Nerve Injury After Bee Venom Acupuncture at a Traditional Korean Medicine Clinic: A Case Report
- Affiliations
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- 1Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Gangnam Severance Hospital, Seoul, Korea. RMPJH@yuhs.ac
- 2Rehabilitation Institute of Neuromuscular Disease, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
- KMID: 2389465
- DOI: http://doi.org/10.5535/arm.2017.41.3.483
Abstract
- This case report describes a severe nerve injury to the right ulnar nerve, caused by bee venom acupuncture. A 52-year-old right-handed man received bee venom acupuncture on the medial side of his right elbow and forearm, at a Traditional Korean Medicine (TKM) clinic. Immediately after acupuncture, the patient experienced pain and swelling on the right elbow. There was further development of weakness of the right little finger, and sensory changes on the ulnar dermatome of the right hand. The patient visited our clinic 7 days after acupuncture. Electrodiagnostic studies 2 weeks after the acupuncture showed ulnar nerve damage. The patient underwent steroid pulse and rehabilitation treatments. However, his condition did not improve completely, even 4 months after acupuncture.
MeSH Terms
Figure
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Fig. 1 Magnetic resonance images of the right elbow and forearm. Diffuse swelling and inflammation of muscles innervated by the ulnar nerve are apparent. Arrows show edema and inflammatory changes in the right elbow and forearm. (A) T2 coronal view: at the elbow level, arrow indicates ulnar nerve. (B–D) T2 transverse views: at the level of the proximal forearm, arrow indicates FDP (B); distal forearm, arrow indicates FCU (C); and wrist, arrow indicates FCU (D). ECRB, extensor carpi radialis brevis; ECRL, extensor carpi radialis longus; FCU, flexor carpi ulnaris; FDP, flexor digitorum profundus; FDS, flexor digitorum superficialis; FPL, flexor pollicis longus; PT, pronator teres.
Fig. 2 Subluxation of the ulnar nerve. Ultrasonographic images of the ulnar nerve showing subluxation at the elbow level during elbow flexion. (A) The dotted area indicates the ulnar nerve, which is in a neutral position during elbow extension. (B) Nerve subluxation during elbow flexion.
Fig. 3 Acupuncture diagram. The dots indicate the course of the acupoints, known as the heart meridian of the hand-shaoyin, and are near, but not the same as, the ulnar nerve course.
Reference
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