Bowel Perforation Treated with Acupuncture and <i>Gami-Gamchogungang-tang</i> : A Case Report

Abstract

Objective: This case report details the successful management of bowel perforation through traditional Korean medicine. Often, emergency surgery is required due to potential complications, such as peritonitis. In this case, the patient had previously undergone a total colectomy, making surgical treatment complicated.Methods: The patient revealed persistent abdominal pain and over 20 instances of diarrhea per day. During the course of treatment, which included two hospitalizations and one outpatient visit, acupuncture treatment and herbal medicine were administered. Throughout the treatment period, the intensity of abdominal pain and the frequency of diarrhea gradually decreased.Results: At the end of treatment, a follow-up abdominal computed tomography (CT) scan showed no evidence of perforation. Additionally, blood tests revealed no abnormalities in liver or kidney function, confirming the safety of the treatments.