Acute pancreatitis induced by traditional acupuncture therapy

Although rare, it is possible for acute pancreatitis to develop after blunt or penetrating abdominal trauma. We report here a very rare case of acute pancreatitis induced by traditional acupuncture therapy. A 42-year-old woman with a low body mass index had suffered from functional dyspepsia for one year. She visited an acupuncture clinic and underwent long needle (13 cm) and gold thread needle (3 mm) acupuncture therapy. Five hours later, she presented at our emergency room complaining of severe periumbilical pain. Levels of serum amylase (1162 U/l, normal <220 U/l), and lipase (5195 IU/l, normal <60 IU/l) were high, and an abdominal computed tomography scan showed a diffusely swollen pancreas and ill-defined infiltration of the peripancreatic fat, indications of possible acute pancreatitis. Multiple small acupunctured gold thread needles were also found on the anterior abdominal wall and back muscles. After excluding other possible causes of pancreatitis, traumatic pancreatitis was diagnosed as an adverse effect of the long acupuncture needle therapy.