Acupuncture improves diplopia and ptosis after subdural hematoma surgery: A case report

Introduction and importance: Diplopia and ptosis are the most common symptoms of oculomotor nerve palsy, which may be caused by increased intracranial pressure causing cranial nerve palsies. If no significant improvement is noted following surgical correction or pharmacological therapies for the underlying cause, acupuncture treatment can be considered as adjuvant therapy to achieve complete functional resolution of the oculomotor nerve. Case presentation: A 27-year-old male patient presented with ptosis and diplopia due to a postoperative craniotomy subdural hematoma (SDH). The patient received several sessions of acupuncture treatments which lasted a total of 45 days. The patient received manual acupuncture points of GB 20 and electrostimulator acupuncture points of ST 2, BL 2, GB 14, TE 23, EX HN 5, LI 4, bilaterally, and noticed improvement in the minor neurological deficits in diplopia and ptosis after 45 days. Clinical discussion: Several filiform needle insertions with stimulation in designated nerve distribution areas cause neural stimulation. This is believed to cause local biochemical and neural stimulation, followed by the release of mediators. Conclusion: Acupuncture can improve the neurological deficits associated with conditions such as ptosis and diplopia following SDH surgery.