Effect of Complex Traditional Korean Medicine Treatment and Rehabilitation on Acetabular Fracture: A Case Report

Abstract

This report presents the clinical progress of a 50-year-old male diagnosed with a left acetabular fracture and left rib fracture after falling from a height of 3 m. The patient was treated nonsurgically and underwent complex traditional Korean medicine (TKM) treatment and rehabilitation, including acupuncture, electroacupuncture, pharmacopuncture, bee venom, herbal medicine, physiotherapy, and moxibustion. Patient progress was assessed using the numerical rating scale (NRS), manual muscle test (MMT), and modified Harris Hip Score (mHHS). During 113 days of hospitalization, the NRS score decreased from 7 to 3, and the MMT grade increased to normal in the hip, knee, and ankle joints. The mHHS score increased from 26 to 99 points. Radiographs and computed tomography scans of the left acetabulum were obtained periodically, and fracture union was successfully achieved. To our knowledge, this is the first case report of complex TKM treatment and rehabilitation of acetabular fractures.

Keywords

• acupuncture
• bee venom
• hip fracture
• korean traditional medicine