Pneumothorax after trigger point injection: A case report and review of literature

Article type: Case Report

Authors: Ahiskalioglu, Elif Oral^a | Alici, Haci Ahmet^b | Dostbil, Aysenur^b | Celik, Mine^b | Ahiskalioglu, Ali^b | Aksoy, Mehmet^b

Affiliations: [a] Department of Anesthesiology and Reanimation, Regional Training and Research Hospital, Erzurum, Turkey | [b] Department of Anesthesiology and Reanimation, Ataturk University School of Medicine, Erzurum, Turkey

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Myofascial pain syndrome is defined as ``pain and/or autonomic phenomena referred from active myofascial trigger points''. Trigger point injection is an effective treatment option, which is widely used to treat myofascial pain. Trigger point injection in the cervicothoracic regions can be associated with pneumothorax. CASE: In this paper, we presented a patient who developed pneumothorax after trigger point injection. RESULT: This case report indicates there is a risk of pneumothorax during trigger point injection in the cervicothoracic regions.

Keywords: Myofascial pain syndrome, pneumothorax, trigger point injection, complication

DOI: 10.3233/BMR-160666

Journal: Journal of Back and Musculoskeletal Rehabilitation, vol. 29, no. 4, pp. 895-897, 2016