Necrotizing Fasciitis Following Wet Cupping: A Case Report

Abstract

Cupping therapy is a widely practiced form of adjunctive medicine and it has been used since ancient times. It involves using cups over the skin to create negative pressure. The exact mechanism by which cupping therapy exerts its effects is unknown, but it is thought to act as an artificial kidney. In this report, we present a case of a 35-year-old male who developed Pseudomonas-positive necrotizing fasciitis following wet cupping therapy. He refused surgical intervention and subsequently died. Necrotizing fasciitis is a severe soft tissue infection that has a high mortality rate. The only proven intervention to improve survival is aggressive surgical debridement. There have been a few reports of infectious complications following wet cupping, including lumbar abscess and septic arthritis; however, to the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of a necrotizing soft tissue infection following cupping therapy.