A case of transient ischemic attack during acupuncture therapy
- VernacularTitle:鍼灸治療中に一過性脳虚血発作を認めた一症例 －医療連携における鍼灸師の役割と心構えについて－
- Author:
Sumire ISHIYAMA
1
;
Tomomi NARUSHIMA
2
;
Satoshi AYUZAWA
1
Author Information
- Keywords: acupuncture; medical partnership; transient ischemic attack
- From:Journal of the Japan Society of Acupuncture and Moxibustion 2022;72(4):255-260
- CountryJapan
- Language:Japanese
- Abstract: [Objective] We report a case in which we unexpectedly encountered a patient with a transient ischemic attack (TIA) caused by severe stenosis of the left middle cerebral artery (MCA) during the course of acupuncture treatment.Patient: A 79-year-old man suffered from bilateral shoulder pain. He was diagnosed with a frozen shoulder at the orthopedic department and was referred to the acupuncture department.[Results] During the course of acupuncture treatment, the subject occasionally exhibited subtle behavioral features, such as difficulty in speech, holding incoherent conversations, and forgetting where he put things. The symptoms were observed repeatedly during treatment, so the acupuncturist referred the patient to the neurosurgical department for a consultation. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain showed an old cerebral infarction in the watershed area in the left paraventricular region, and MR angiography (MRA) revealed left middle cerebral artery stenosis. Single photon emission computed tomography showed decreased blood flow in the left MCA area. The symptoms could be considered TIA with motor and sensory aphasia. The administration of aspirin was started, and the symptoms disappeared.[Discussion and Conclusion] The acupuncturist has more opportunities to obtain information about the patient due to the longer time spent in acupuncture therapy compared to general outpatient treatment. Acupuncture can play an important role in medical partnership. It is also important that the acupuncturist has sufficient medical knowledge.
