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Updated: Jun 30, 2026
Preliminary Study on Acupuncture Combined with Grain-sized Moxibustion for Treating Rheumatoid Arthritis with Finger Joint Pain
Published on: May 16, 2025
Spinal epidural abscess associated with moxibustion-related infection of the finger
Kyung Whan Lee1, Soo Jeong Han, Dong Jun Kim
1Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, School of Medicine, Ewha [corrected] Womans University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Objective:
To describe a spinal epidural abscess that originated from cellulitis after moxibustion.
Methods:
Case report.
Findings:
A 78-year-old woman with diabetes mellitus was diagnosed with tetraplegia due to a cervical spinal epidural abscess extending to the thoracic spinal epidural space. The abscess was caused by osteomyelitis and cellulitis of the right third finger, which had been cauterized repeatedly with moxa. After surgical decompression and drainage of the spinal epidural abscess and comprehensive rehabilitation, motor strength and functional level improved.
Conclusions:
This case illustrates the risk of spinal epidural abscess in persons with diabetes mellitus who present with focal cellulitis and osteomyelitis.
