Presentation summary

Miller-Fisher syndrome (MFS), a subtype of Guillain-Barré syndrome, is characterized by ophthalmoplegia, areflexia, and ataxia. This report describes a case of MFS treated with a combination of traditional Korean medicine (TKM) interventions, including bee venom pharmacopuncture (BVP), and evaluates their effects on the patient’s symptoms.

A 72-year-old male presented with bilateral ophthalmoplegia, facial palsy, diplopia, and generalized weakness following an acute illness. The patient underwent 30 days of TKM treatment, including acupuncture, cupping, pharmacopuncture, herbal medicine, and physiotherapy. Following TKM treatment, the patient’s symptoms significantly improved, with the Yanagihara score for facial function increasing from 7 to 34.

Ocular movement showed enhanced range in both elevation and abduction, and subjective assessments indicated a full recovery of walking ability and a reduction in facial discomfort. Additionally, the study also compared the effects of So Yum pharmacopuncture and BVP, finding greater improvement with BVP.