左後頸部の鍼灸治療後に生じた右半側解離性感覚障害の1例

Dissociated Sensory Loss Caused by Acupuncture Injury to the Cervical Spinal Cord

はじめに

　頸部痛や肩こりに対する鍼灸治療は，日本においては日常的に広く行われている療法である。しかし，稀ではあるが重篤な合併症の報告も散見される^1）。われわれは，左後頸部への鍼灸治療後に，右半側解離性感覚障害を生じた1例を経験したので報告する。

Abstract

　A 31-year-old woman developed dissociated sensory loss below the right C-3 dermatome within an hour after acupuncture therapy for the left posterior neck pain.　Moxa has been applied on the top of the acupuncture needle: Moxa needle.　T2-weighted MR images on the following day showed a high-signal cord lesion at the C1/2 level on the left.　After 10 days,the MRI lesion became clear; it involved the left lateral spinothalamic tract and the lateral corticospinal tract; however,her muscle strength and deep tendon reflexes were normal.　The C1/2 focus reduced slightly 2 months after the accident,and the sensory impairment was localized below the Th7 dermatome.　It was suggested that the cervical cord lesion was caused by the direct insertion of and thermal injury by the Moxa needle.

(Received: October 17,2007,Accepted: June 24,2008)