[Slipping rib syndrome. An aggressive but effective treatment]

Slipping rib syndrome (SRS) is an unusual cause of recurrent chest or abdominal pain in children. The diagnosis is elusive, including gastroenterological, cardiac, respiratory, infectious and chest or abdominal muscular pathologies. Two paediatric patients were diagnosed with SRS, both of them were female teenagers with a similar clinical pattern: crippling unilateral chest pain without a traumatic event. On physical examination, all patients had reproducible pain with the "hooking maneuver". Surgical excision of the costal cartilages was done, preserving the perichondrium. No complications were reported. In both cases we achieve an excellent outcome after one and four years of follow-up, resolving the symptoms completely. The surgical excision of the costal cartilages seems to be an aggressive option but with an excellent outcome. A minimum invasive approach could be a better option in the future.