The abdominal cutaneous nerve entrapment syndrome

Area of Science:

• Pain Management
• Gastroenterology
• Neurology

Background:

• Abdominal segmental nerve entrapment can cause pain that mimics surgical or genito-urinary conditions.
• This condition involves nerve compression within the rectus abdominis muscle.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the diagnostic method for abdominal segmental nerve entrapment.
• To outline effective treatment strategies for this condition.

Main Methods:

• Diagnosis involves palpating for tenderness near the lateral border of the rectus abdominis muscle.
• Pain reproduction upon pressure and immediate relief with local anesthetic injection confirm the diagnosis.
• Treatment options include injections of long-acting steroids or 7% aqueous phenol.

Main Results:

• Tenderness localized to the rectus abdominis lateral border is a key diagnostic sign.
• Local anesthetic injection provides immediate pain relief, confirming the diagnosis.
• Long-term pain relief is achieved with steroid or phenol injections.

Conclusions:

• Abdominal segmental nerve entrapment is a treatable cause of abdominal pain.
• Accurate diagnosis through physical examination and anesthetic block is crucial.
• Steroid or phenol injections offer effective long-term management for this condition.