Anterior cutaneous nerve entrapment syndrome

In this review, we summarise the current knowledge of anterior cutaneous nerve entrapment syndrome (ACNES), which is a well-documented but overlooked and relatively common cause of sudden abdominal wall pain. Patients with ACNES often end up with chronic abdominal pain, which leads to reduced quality of life. The diagnosis is based on patient history, pain characteristics, clinical bedside examinations and a diagnostic injection of local anaesthetics. More than 80% of patients can be treated with good effect when employing a step-up strategy. Patients should be referred to a dedicated surgical centre for examination and treatment, when ACNES is suspected.