Putting the puncture in acupuncture: Therapist accidentally collapses a patient's LUNG during a routine treatment for an arm and wrist injury
- The New Zealand woman, 33, was being treated for an arm and wrist injury
- She suddenly became out of breath and experienced shoulder and neck pain
- The patient, who weighed just 45kgs, said the needles felt 'extremely deep'
- She ended up in hospital where doctors found she had two punctured lungs
An acupuncturist accidentally punctured a woman's lungs after failing to insert needles properly during a routine treatment.
The 33-year-old New Zealand woman was being treated for an arm and wrist injury in March last year when she suddenly became out of breath and experienced shoulder and neck pain.
The patient, who weighed just 45kg, said the needles felt 'extremely deep' and was in pain as they were inserted, Stuff reported.
The needles were then left in for half-an-hour before being rotated and taken out.
The woman said she felt short of breath and had sudden chest pain on the right side as they needles were removed.
The 33-year-old New Zealand woman was being treated for an arm and wrist injury in March last year when the practitioner punctured her lungs
After arriving home, the left side of the woman's chest started hurting, and her right side went completely numb.
Later that evening, she ended up in hospital where doctors discovered she had two punctured lungs.
The patient said the acupuncturist didn't inform her that there was risk of puncturing her lungs when placing needles close to them.
The acupuncturist said the risks were explained verbally, but weren't written down in the patient's notes and written consent wasn't given.
On Monday, a Health and Disability Commission investigation found the acupuncturist - who hasn't been named - breached the Code of Health and Disability Services Consumers' Rights.
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Commissioner Anthony Hill said the practitioner failed to take adequate care in the treatment, not providing information about the risks and not recognising the symptoms of punctured lungs.
The woman said if she was informed of the risks involved she would have gone straight to the hospital when she started feeling unwell after her treatment.
The acupuncturist said she 'felt very sorry' for causing her patient to suffer two collapsed lungs.
Mr Hill suggested the acupuncturist undergo additional needling technique training and report back to the HDC when complete.
A spokeswoman for HDC said it's not unusual for practitioners who have breached the code of conduct to not be named publicly.
The woman said she felt short of breath and had sudden chest pain on the right side as they needles were removed (stock image)
