title: Acupuncture needles causing lumbar cerebrospinal fluid fistula. Case report.
abstract: Acupuncture is a frequently used adjuvant treatment for chronic pain conditions. The authors report the case of a patient in whom the delayed migration of embedded acupuncture needles into the lumbar spinal canal caused the formation of a cerebrospinal fluid fistula and spine-related headache. The needles were safely removed surgically and the patient improved clinically.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, USA.
authors.forename: Joel E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Ulloth
authors.forename: Stephen J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Haines
mesh_terms: D015670:Acupuncture Therapy / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000295:instrumentation*; D002555:Cerebrospinal Fluid / Q000378:metabolism; D005402:Fistula / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid* / Q000209:etiology; D005547:Foreign Bodies / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009339:Needles / Q000009:adverse effects*; D013115:Spinal Canal; D013118:Spinal Cord Diseases / Q000209:etiology*; D013122:Spinal Diseases / Q000209:etiology*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed