title: Acupuncture and postpartum pyogenic sacroiliitis: a case report.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Pyogenic sacroiliitis, a rare form of septic arthritis, occurs in patients following trauma, intravenous drug use, genitourinary infections and pregnancy. Here we report a rare case where both acupuncture and pregnancy served as predisposing risk factors to the development of this infection.
  
  
  METHODS
  A 33-year-old white woman received several sessions of acupuncture treatment during her gestation at the site of her sacroiliac joint for sciatica; she developed biopsy-confirmed sacroiliitis with methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus during the immediate postpartum period. The diagnosis, medical management and treatment course are described.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Low back and pelvic pain are common conditions during pregnancy and postpartum. Acupuncture is a common modality of medication-free treatment used by many patients. Recognition of the potential complications of such therapies can lead to early diagnosis, accurate treatment, decreased morbidity and increased chances for a successful outcome.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, George Washington University Hospital, 900 23rd St NW, Washington, DC, 20037, USA. fmillwala@mfa.gwu.edu.
authors.forename: Farida
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Millwala
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, George Washington University Hospital, 900 23rd St NW, Washington, DC, 20037, USA. shuochen84@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Shuo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, George Washington University Hospital, 900 23rd St NW, Washington, DC, 20037, USA. tsaltskan@email.gwu.edu.
authors.forename: Vladislav
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Tsaltskan
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, George Washington University Hospital, 900 23rd St NW, Washington, DC, 20037, USA. gsimon@mfa.gwu.edu.
authors.forename: Gary
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Simon
mesh_terms: D015670:Acupuncture Therapy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D000328:Adult; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D009254:Nafcillin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D049590:Postpartum Period; D011247:Pregnancy; D011645:Puerperal Infection / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy; D012446:Sacroiliac Joint / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D058566:Sacroiliitis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy; D012585:Sciatica / Q000628:therapy; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D009254:Nafcillin