Careful medical interview and ultrasonography enabled detection of acute kidney injury and hematoma after lumbar trigger point injection—a case report

BACKGROUND: Trigger point blocks are now widely practiced, especially in pain treatment. Among the complications of lumbar trigger point injection, reports of medically induced kidney injury are very rare, and diagnosis during emergency treatment is rare. CASE PRESENTATION: A 78-year-old woman on antiplatelet medication following a stroke was diagnosed with treatable type A aortic dissection at another hospital after undergoing lumbar trigger point injection. On arrival at our hospital, there were no signs of hemodynamic deterioration. Additional careful medical re-interview and ultrasonography by anesthesiologists enabled a definitive diagnosis of acute kidney damage and hematoma caused by lumbar trigger point injection, and aortic dissection surgery was abandoned. CONCLUSION: This clinical case demonstrates the importance of awareness of potential kidney injury and hematoma during lumbar trigger point injection.