J Korean Neurol Assoc.
2000 May;18(3):356-358.
A Case of Ischemic Stroke Following Bee Venom Acupuncture
- Affiliations
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- 1Department of Neurology, College of Medicine, Soonchunhyang University, Chunan, Korea.
Abstract
- The effects of bee venom on humans are variable from local to lethal reactions. However, ischemic stroke following bee venom acupuncture has rarely been reported. We report a case of a person who developed an ischemic stroke after bee venom acupuncture. The patient, who had a small cortical infarction one year ago, experienced anaphylatic symptoms several minutes after bee venom acupuncture. Shortly thereafter, he became confused and had aggravation of the left hemiparesis. A brain MR T2-weighted image showed a high signal intensity lesion on the right anterior border zone. A cerebral angiography revealed a right proximal internal carotid artery occlusion with collateral circulation via an anterior communicating artery. The presumed mechanism in this case was a hemodynamic infarction due to the bee venom induced anaphylactic shock. We alert the possibility for another disaster caused by inadvertent bee venom acupuncture for stroke patients.
