Korean J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg.  2000 May;33(5):440-444.

Mediastinitis Caused by Prevotella Intermedia/Nigrescens Occurred after Acupuncture: A case report

• Kim SS
• Ha GI

Abstract

A 54-year-old male patient was admitted due to dyspnea with chest pain and reddish swelling in the right lteral neck and right upper which developed 2 or 3 days age. He was treated with acupuncture in the neck about one week ago prior to admission. CT scans of the chest showed density of air and abnormal soft tissue which suggested abscess of the anterior mediastinum and subcutaneous tissue. He underwent cervical and mediastinal drainage with closed thoracostomy and antibiotic therapy. Black-pigmente anaerobic nonspore-forming gram-negative bacilli were isolated from the mediastinal pus and were identified as Prevotella intermedia/nigrescens upon performing biochemical tests and API rapid ID 32A (bioMeriux, France) kit. He underwent decortication of the right side because of loculated empyema on 41st postoperative day. He was fully recovered and discharged on the 82nd hospital day. This was thought to be another case of descending necrotizing mediastinitis not caused by peritonsilar abscess but by cellulitis developed after acupuncture. Early deterction of mediastinits and aggressive drainage of mediastinal abscess are important.

Keyword

Mediastinitis; Acupuncture

MeSH Terms

Abscess
Acupuncture*
Cellulitis
Chest Pain
Drainage
Dyspnea
Empyema
Humans
Male
Mediastinitis*
Mediastinum
Middle Aged
Neck
Prevotella*
Subcutaneous Tissue
Suppuration
Thoracostomy
Thorax
Tomography, X-Ray Computed