Septic Sacroiliitis in a Teenager – A Rare Complication of Acupuncture

Authors

  • Hing Lun Leong Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Imaging, KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital, Singapore
  • Timothy Shao Ern Tan Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Imaging, KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital, Singapore, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9297-4598
  • Shen Ren Yuan Singapore Thong Chai Medical Institution, Singapore, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0035-2140
  • Matthew William Lukies Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Imaging, KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital, Singapore https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6746-1184

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.3941/jrcr.5303

Abstract

We present a case of septic sacroiliitis in a teenage girl, which developed as a rare complication of acupuncture therapy for back pain, likely attributed to inadequate skin preparation and sterilization. The patient underwent contrast enhanced magnetic resonance imaging of the sacroiliac joints and pelvis, which demonstrated features consistent with acute unilateral right sacroiliitis, complicated by rim-enhancing joint effusion and small periarticular collections. Aspiration under ultrasound guidance yielded gram positive bacteria. Following completion of 6 weeks’ duration of intravenous cloxacillin, the patient’s symptoms resolved at the latest follow up. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first reported case of septic sacroiliitis resulting from acupuncture therapy in a paediatric patient, which highlights the important role of imaging in prompt diagnosis and in guiding treatment.

16 year old female with right pyogenic sacroiliitis.

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Published

2024-04-30

Issue

Vol. 18 No. 4 (2024)

Section

Musculoskeletal Radiology

License

Copyright (c) 2024 Journal of Radiology Case Reports

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