Presentation
Korean male with chest pain.
Patient Data
Age: 75 years
Gender: Male
From the case:
Subcutaneous acupuncture needle fragments
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Dozens of short pieces of wire are noted in the subcutaneous soft tissues overlying the shoulders and back.
Case Discussion
Some forms of acupuncture involve the deliberate placement of "permanent" silver or gold needles into the patient. These are typically ~1 cm in length and at one time may have been needles broken off deliberately but more recently involve the injection of short needles using a spring-loaded syringe. Though they are intended to remain subcutaneous, reports of migration into the abdomen and chest are present with resulting complications.