Unusual case of pyogenic spondylodiscitis, vertebral osteomyelitis and bilateral psoas abscesses after acupuncture: diagnosis and treatment with interventional management

Acupuncture in Medicine : Journal of the British Medical Acupuncture Society
Chengjian HeChungen Wu

Abstract

We report, for the first time, a case of pyogenic spondylodiscitis combined with vertebral osteomyelitis and bilateral psoas abscesses after acupuncture. A 60-year-old man was diagnosed with rectal cancer, and radical rectectomy and permanent colostomy were carried out. However, 3 years after the surgery the patient complained of pain in the lower back, and the symptoms worsened after seven sessions of acupuncture. Technetium 99m-labelled methylene diphosphonate ((99m)Tc-MDP) bone scintigraphy (BS) revealed abnormal uptake of (99m)Tc-MDP in the L4 and L5 vertebrae. He was admitted to our hospital because of suspected bone metastases from rectal cancer. He was diagnosed with infection based on a history of acupuncture and the findings of enhanced MRI and CT. Percutaneous lumbar discectomy (PLD), external drainage and irrigation using antibiotics were carried out to treat the L4-5 disc. Pathological analyses and bacterial culture of the resected disc confirmed infection with group C streptococcus. Postoperative antibiotic treatment resulted in significant pain relief on the third day and gradual complete relief. Considerable improvement was seen on CT and MRI at follow-up. We consider it highly likely that this patient's infectio...Continue Reading

References

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Citations

Mar 16, 2016·Journal of Surgical Case Reports·Vinesh Godhania
Dec 21, 2018·BMJ Case Reports·André Rosa Alexandre, Pedro Raimundo

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