SINGAPORE: A traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) practitioner has been suspended for three months after needles from an acupuncture treatment were left in a patient's head and toe after the session.
Chua Kah Gay did not take "sufficient steps" to ensure that all needles were removed and he did not record the number of needles during and after the acupuncture treatment.
The patient suffered from dizziness, headache, migraine and vomiting, the Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioners Board (TCMPB) said in its grounds of decision published on Monday (Jan 13).
WHAT HAPPENED
The patient saw Mr Chua at an unnamed clinic at about 3pm to 4pm on Sep 19, 2021 for acupuncture treatment. Needles were administered to his body and head.
After the treatment was completed and the needles were removed by Mr Chua, the patient went to the toilet.
He felt a sharp pain when he wore his slippers and discovered an unremoved needle "on his toe area". This was removed, but Mr Chua did not take "sufficient steps" to ensure there was no other remaining needle in the patient.
The man then left the clinic at about 7pm to 8pm.
At about 10pm, he felt dizzy with pain and discomfort on his head, and he discovered another unremoved needle there.
He rushed down to the clinic, but Mr Chua had already left. The clinic's massage therapist removed the needle at about 10.15pm.
"The needle was left on the complainant’s head after the acupuncture treatment, throughout the tuina (massage) treatment, and it was only discovered by the complainant approximately six hours later," said TCMPB in its grounds.
"Upon removing the needle, the area where the unremoved needle had been was bleeding."
Mr Chua told the TCMPB that he called the complainant on Sep 22, 2021. The man told Mr Chua he was suffering from headache and dizziness, and could not go to work.
As of Oct 9, 2021, the patient was still suffering from headaches and migraine and he submitted a complaint to the TCMPB. He also signed a statutory declaration on Jun 22, 2022.
The matter was referred to an inquiry committee, which submitted a report to the board. A hearing with Mr Chua was convened on Oct 10 last year.
INQUIRY FINDINGS
The TCMPB said that it agreed with most of the findings of the inquiry committee, which found that Mr Chua had failed to provide good clinica...