Department of Neurosurgery, Tokyo Metropolitan Bokutoh Hospital, Sumida-ku, Tokyo, Japan.
World Neurosurg. 2010 Jun;73(6):735-41. doi: 10.1016/j.wneu.2010.03.020.
Acupuncture has become one of the most popular alternative medicines in the world today. Some acupuncturists still intentionally embed entire needles deep in the tissue for treatments, and some patients stick needles into their own bodies on their own.
Surgical removal of an accidentally broken acupuncture needle due to self-acupuncture that was embedded in the medulla oblongata and cerebellum was performed. The broken needle migrated further into the brain in a few days. Contrary to expectation, it was extremely laborious to find the needle, which turned out to be completely embedded in the brain. No postoperative complications developed. The patient denied any symptoms and was subsequently discharged.
Previously reported cases of 25 patients, in addition to our patient, who suffered from cervical or brain injuries due to acupuncture needles, were retrospectively studied. Embedded needles were the most frequent cause of the injuries and comprised 15 patients (57.7%). Accidentally broken needles came in second, comprising 11 patients (42.3%). Five cases (19.2%) were attributed to self-acupuncture. Sixteen (61.5%) patients developed symptoms more than 30 days after the accident. Twenty-three (88.5%) patients complained of sensory deficits, whereas 11 (42.3%) presented with motor weakness. Surgical removals were performed in 21 patients (80.8%), and 10 patients showed signs of recovery. On the other hand, no patients showed improvements in conservatively treated cases.
Embedded needles in the brain should be urgently removed if possible. Both embedded needle acupuncture and self-acupuncture are extremely dangerous and hazardous to health.
针灸已成为当今世界最受欢迎的替代医学之一。一些针灸师仍故意将整根针深深地嵌入组织中进行治疗，而一些患者则自行将针插入自己的身体。
因自行针刺延髓和小脑而意外折断的针灸针，行手术取出。折断的针在几天后进一步迁移到大脑中。与预期相反，找到针极其费力，结果发现针完全嵌入大脑中。没有术后并发症。患者否认有任何症状，随后出院。
回顾性研究了除我们的患者以外，另外 25 例因针灸针导致颈椎或脑部受伤的患者。嵌入的针是受伤的最常见原因，有 15 例（57.7%）。意外折断的针位居第二，有 11 例（42.3%）。5 例（19.2%）归因于自行针刺。16 例（61.5%）患者在事故发生后 30 天以上出现症状。23 例（88.5%）患者有感觉缺失，而 11 例（42.3%）有运动无力。21 例（80.8%）患者行手术取出，其中 10 例有恢复迹象。另一方面，在保守治疗的病例中，没有患者显示出改善。
如果可能，应紧急取出脑内嵌入的针。嵌入针针灸和自行针刺对健康都极其危险和有害。
