Patient’s lungs pierced in acupuncture treatment

An acupuncturist failed to correctly insert needles to treat shoulder pain, puncturing a woman’s lungs.

A Health and Disability Commission investigation found the acupuncturist, who was not named, breached the Code of Health and Disability Services Consumers’ Rights, in a decision released yesterday.

A 33-year-old woman was receiving treatment for an arm and wrist injury.

At the appointment in March 2018, she told the practitioner she had pain in her shoulder and neck area and shortness of breath. She said the acupuncturist did not tell her about the placement of the needles close to her lungs and the risk of puncturing them.

The acupuncturist said the procedure and risk of lung perforation was explained verbally but was not recorded in the patient’s notes. Written consent from the woman was not obtained.

As the needles were inserted, the patient, who weighed 45 kilograms, said it was painful and they felt ‘‘extremely deep’’. The needles were left in for 30 minutes and the practitioner rotated them before removal.

As they came out, the patient said she felt sudden chest pain on the right side and shortness of breath. The acupuncturist removed the needles immediately and provided additional treatment.

The woman left the practice at 2.30pm and felt ‘‘very uncomfortable’’.

While resting at home, her left chest was painful and her right chest was numb.

That evening, her husband took her to a medical centre and she was then referred to a local emergency department. Doctors found two punctures to her lungs.

Health and Disability Commissioner Anthony Hill found the practitioner had breached the code by failing to take adequate care in the treatment, not providing information about the risks and not recognising the symptoms of punctured lungs.

Hill recommended the practitioner check their provision of information to previous patients and report back to the HDC on results and changes made.

He also recommended the practitioner undertake further needling technique training and report back with evidence of completion.

New Zealand Acupuncture Standards Authority Inc and Acupuncture NZ were advised by Hill to share the case with members ‘‘as a learning opportunity’’.