Pediatr Emerg Med J.
2021 Jun;8(1):35-37. 10.22470/pemj.2020.00213.
Pneumothorax secondary to acupuncture in an adolescent girl
- Affiliations
-
- 1Department of Surgery, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
- 2Division of Pediatric General Surgery, Department of Surgery, McMaster Children’s Hospital, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
- 3Division of Pediatric Emergency Medicine, McMaster Children’s Hospital, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
- KMID: 2517756
- DOI: http://doi.org/10.22470/pemj.2020.00213
Abstract
- Although acupuncture is a form of traditional Chinese medicine that is gaining popularity and usage in children, the relevant complications are rarely reported. We present a case of 17-year-old girl who underwent acupuncture. The girl visited the emergency department with chest pain and dyspnea on the day after receiving the acupuncture. A chest radiograph showed a left-sided pneumothorax. She was hospitalized for observation and supplemental oxygen, and improvement was noted on follow-up radiograph. She continued to follow up in the outpatient clinic until complete resolution of the pneumothorax. Raising awareness of the potential complications of acupuncture is crucial to aid in patient education and establishment of safety guidelines.
