Complex Korean Medical Treatment after Embolization for Myelopathy Due to Spinal Dural Arteriovenous Fistula: A Case Report

Abstract

A 38-year-old Korean man without any other history was diagnosed with myelopathy due to a spinal dural arteriovenous fistula. Following embolization and high-dose steroid therapy, the patient was treated with complex Korean medical therapies including acupuncture, pharmacopuncture, electro-acupuncture, Chuna manual therapy, herbal medicine, and cupping therapy in addition to conventional treatment. To assess the patient's improvement, international standard for neurological classification of spinal cord injury, Korean version of modified Barthel index, functional independence measure, spinal cord independence measure III, walking index for spinal cord injury II, modified Ashworth scale were used. After treatment, the muscle strength and sensory function of the lower extremities were improved, and the spasticity was reduced, resulting in a rapid improvement in performance of daily activities. These results suggest that complex Korean medical therapies may be effective for myelopathy, and further clinical studies are needed to clarify their effects.

Effect of Complex Korean Medical Treatment on Spinal Epidural Hematoma: A Case Report

“…Tilt training involves training in the standing posture by tilting the patient who cannot walk or stand independently. It was performed daily for 20 minutes four times a week from day 8 of hospitalization (March 11, 2022) for strengthening muscle in the lower extremities before practice walking [11].…”