CERVICAL SPINAL EPIDURAL ABSCESS FOLLOWING ACUPUNCTURE - SUCCESSFUL TREATMENT WITH ANTIBIOTICS

A 67-year-old man with poorly controlled diabetes mellitus (DM) had ac upuncture several times a month for chronic shoulder muscle stiffness. A few days after acupuncture in the posterior nuchal region, a low-gr ade fever and backache developed, and subacutely progressed. Finally h e complained of gait disturbance, and then respiratory distress appear ed. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) demonstrated high cervical epidur al abscess with massive soft tissue inflammation and vertebral osteomy elitis, Conservative treatment with antibiotics was effective and it w as well documented by following serial MRIs. This case suggested that needle acupuncture should be avoided for immunocompromised subjects su ch as patients with poorly controlled DM.