[ANTERIOR CUTANEOUS NERVE ENTRAPMENT SYNDROME IN THE ABDOMINAL WALL]

Anterior cutaneous nerve entrapment syndrome (ACNES) is one of the causes of chronic abdominal pain. Symptoms include intense focused chronic abdominal pain, affected by posture changes and exertion. Particularly noticeable are the lack of pathological findings in laboratory and imaging tests, from the most basic to the more advanced. Proper diagnosis and appropriate treatment depend on raising the clinical suspicion with typical findings on physical examination. Confirmation of the diagnosis is obtained by significant alleviation of pain following injection of local anesthetics into the maximal tender point. Acceptable treatment includes local injections (local anesthetics and occasionally corticosteroids), radiofrequency neurotomy and, if failed, surgery. Accurate diagnosis and proper treatment result in pain relief in most patients.