Abstract
A 49-year-old male with an impaired consciousness was transported to our emergency department 14 days after undergoing acupuncture therapy. He was found to have a trapezius abscess and diabetic ketoacidosis (Glu 643 mg/dL, pH 6.916, total ketone body 20600 μmol/L). Rehydration and intravenous insulin infusion restored his consciousness. The abscess was effectively treated with intravenous antibiotics, debridement, and negative pressure wound therapy. The blood glucose levels were maintained by intensive insulin therapy, followed by a combination of basal insulin and oral hypoglycemic agents. In this case, an immunocompromised state due to untreated diabetes (HbA1c 15.1 %) was considered to be the cause of a trapezius abscess that had been induced by acupuncture, and which triggered the onset of diabetic ketoacidosis. All health professionals, including acupuncturists, should therefore consider the risk of infection from invasive medical practices, such as acupuncture, in patients suffering from poorly controlled diabetes.
