Confessions of a Quackbuster

This blog deals with healthcare consumer protection, and is therefore about quackery, healthfraud, chiropractic, and other forms of so-Called "Alternative" Medicine (sCAM).

Friday, December 03, 2004

Neurologic complications following chiropractic manipulation: a survey of California neurologists

Neurology, Vol 45, Issue 6 1213-1215

Neurologic complications following chiropractic manipulation: a survey of California neurologists -- Lee et al. 45 (6): 1213 -- Neurology

KP Lee, WG Carlini, GF McCormick and GW Albers
Stanford Stroke Center, Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Stanford University Medical Center, Palo Alto, CA 94304-1705, USA.

To obtain an estimate of how often practicing neurologists in California encounter unexpected strokes, myelopathies, or radiculopathies following chiropractic manipulation, we surveyed each member of the American Academy of Neurology in California and inquired about the number of patients evaluated over the preceding 2 years who suffered a neurologic complication within 24 hours of chiropractic manipulation. Four hundred eighty-six neurologists were surveyed, 177 responded; 55 strokes, 16 myelopathies, and 30 radiculopathies were reported. Patients were between the ages of 21 and 60, and the majority experienced complications following cervical manipulation. Most of the patients continued to have persistent neurologic deficits 3 months after the onset, and about one-half had marked or severe deficits. Nearly all of the strokes involved the posterior circulation and almost one-half were angiographically proven. Patients, physicians, and chiropractors should be aware of the risk of neurologic complications associated with chiropractic manipulation.