Clin Pain.  2023 Dec;22(2):136-140. 10.35827/cp.2023.22.2.136.

Iatrogenic Cervical Spinal Cord Injury Associated with Acupuncture

• Kang JS
• Lee SH
• Choi TK
• Lee SM
• Na EJ
• Kang EY
• Lee HK
• Cho YK

• KMID: 2550417
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.35827/cp.2023.22.2.136

Abstract

Iatrogenic spinal cord injury resulting from direct needle injection is an exceedingly uncommon occurrence, mainly owing to the spinal cord’s protection by surrounding bony structures, with only a few exceptions, and its location a few centimeters beneath the skin. This study presents a case of a 27-year-old female who experienced cervical spinal cord injury following acupuncture treatment around the C3–4 region. The patient reported tingling paresthesia and persistent pain in her left arm for 1 month postinjection, with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealing a syringomyelia in the direction of the injection. As determined at the follow-up, after undergoing 3 months of conservative treatments, including cervical intervention, medication, and education, her pain was reduced by approximately half. Cervical injections should be administered by a knowledgeable specialist well versed in musculoskeletal anatomy and potential complications, aided by radiological examination.

Keyword

Iatrogenic spinal cord injury; Complication; Acupuncture