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Case Reports
. 2011 Jan;52(1):207-9.
doi: 10.3349/ymj.2011.52.1.207.

Hemopericardium following acupuncture

Jung Heon Kim  1 , Sun Hyu Kim, Yong Jik Lee, Jung Seok Hong, Ryeok Ahn, Eun Seog Hong
Affiliations
Case Reports

Hemopericardium following acupuncture

Jung Heon Kim et al. Yonsei Med J. 2011 Jan.

Abstract

Acupuncture-related hemopericardium is a rare but potentially fatal complication. We describe a hemopericardium that occurred shortly after acupuncture in a 55-year-old woman. A chest CT scan and echocardiography revealed a hemopericardium, and pericardiocentesis was then immediately and successfully performed. Subsequently, her clinical course improved. This case increases the attention of emergency physicians for acupuncture-related complications, especially hemopericardium, and the necessity of rapid diagnosis and management.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors have no financial conflicts of interest.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Chest x-ray and chest CT scan after tube thoracostomy shows hemopericardium (arrow).
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Chest X-ray and echocardiography after pericardiocentesis shows minimal pericardial effusion (arrow).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

Comment in

  • Re: Hemopericardium following acupuncture?
    Kim TH, Kim KH, Kang JW, Lee MS. Kim TH, et al. Yonsei Med J. 2011 Mar;52(2):377-8; author reply 378. doi: 10.3349/ymj.2011.52.2.377. Yonsei Med J. 2011. PMID: 21319364 Free PMC article. No abstract available.

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