Delayed cardiac tamponade and hemothorax induced by an acupuncture needle

We report a 52-year-old man who presented with cardiac tamponade a few years after accidental breakage of an acupuncture needle that had not been removed. Thoracotomy showed a hemopericardium with penetration of the pulmonary artery by the very fine needle which was barely detected on the chest roen...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inCardiology Vol. 78; no. 1; p. 58
Main Authors Hasegawa, J, Noguchi, N, Yamasaki, J, Kotake, H, Mashiba, H, Sasaki, S, Mori, T
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Switzerland 1991
Subjects
Acupuncture Therapy
Cardiac Tamponade - etiology
Foreign-Body Migration - complications
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
Needles
Pericardial Effusion - etiology
Pulmonary Artery
Self Care
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Summary:We report a 52-year-old man who presented with cardiac tamponade a few years after accidental breakage of an acupuncture needle that had not been removed. Thoracotomy showed a hemopericardium with penetration of the pulmonary artery by the very fine needle which was barely detected on the chest roentgenogram. This lesion was not suspected on the basis of roentgenography, two-dimensional echocardiography, or computed tomography, but was detected by the presence of other thick needles in the neck, chest and abdomen. This case showed a possible threat of 'stealthy' and migrating foreign bodies, such as very fine acupuncture needles.
ISSN:0008-6312
DOI:10.1159/000174766