A Case of Ischemic Stroke Following Bee Venom Acupuncture

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.