[Foreign body stone of the ureter as a complication of acupuncture: report of a case].

A 47-year-old female was admitted to our clinic with the suspicion of ureteral foreign body. She had undergone acupuncture for left lumbago twelve years earlier. Plain X-ray film revealed a linear shadow and calcified shadows laterally to left third lumber vertebra. Computed tomographic scan and pyelogram showed them located in the left ureter. Left ureterolithotomy was performed successfully. The removed stone was accompanied by an acupuncture needle. Including our case, twelve cases of foreign bodies as a complication of acupuncture in the upper urinary tract reported in the Japanese literature were reviewed.