A 65-year-old woman in South Korea went to the doctor for worsening knee pain she assumed was routine osteoarthritis. Instead, scans revealed dozens of tiny metallic flecks embedded in her knees — gold acupuncture needles that had been intentionally left inside years earlier as part of an alternative arthritis treatment.
Doctors warned that leaving foreign objects in the body can trigger chronic inflammation, infection, and limit future imaging options, especially dangerous MRI scans. The case, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, became a striking reminder that alternative treatments can carry long-term risks — sometimes leaving behind consequences no one expects.
