Surgical treatment for intra-thoracic migration of acupuncture needles

The aim of this study was to introduce the experience of diagnosis and treatment for patients with migrated acupuncture needle to pleural cavity and or lung parenchyma. We had treated 5 patients who had acupuncture needles in their thoracic cavity from January 2000 to September 2009. The mean age was 55.8 yr old. All patients suffered from the sequelae of the cerebrovascular accident and had been treated with acupuncture. They had drowsiness and hemiplegic or quadriplegic motor activity. Fever and dyspnea were main symptoms when referred to us. Diagnosis was made by the chest radiography and chest computed tomography which revealed straight metallic materials in their thoracic cavity. The needles were removed via thoracotomy or thoracoscopic procedures. Pleural decortications were also needed in four patients. Thoracoscopic surgery was successfully performed in two patients. After the removal all patients became symptomless. Although we experienced only five patients who have migrated acupuncture needles in thoracic cavity, we suggest that thoracoscopic removal of the needle with or without pleural decortication is the most optimal modality of treatment in those patients.