• Ten HaveTomT0000-0003-0288-0630Department of Surgery, Máxima Medical Center, Veldhoven, the Netherlands.SolviMáx Center of Expertise for ACNES, Center of Excellence for Chronic Abdominal Wall and Groin Pain, Máxima Medical Center, Eindhoven, the Netherlan, Willem A R Zwaans, ScheltingaMarc R MMRMDepartment of Surgery, Máxima Medical Center, Veldhoven, the Netherlands.SolviMáx Center of Expertise for ACNES, Center of Excellence for Chronic Abdominal Wall and Groin Pain, Máxima Medical Center, Eindhoven, the Netherlands., and RoumenRudi M HRMHDepartment of Surgery, Máxima Medical Center, Veldhoven, the Netherlands.SolviMáx Center of Expertise for ACNES, Center of Excellence for Chronic Abdominal Wall and Groin Pain, Máxima Medical Center, Eindhoven, the Netherlands..
• Department of Surgery, Máxima Medical Center, Veldhoven, the Netherlands.
• Paediatr Anaesth. 2024 Apr 4.

BackgroundChronic abdominal pain in children is occasionally caused by anterior cutaneous nerve entrapment syndrome (ACNES). Diagnosing and treating this typical peripheral abdominal wall neuropathy is challenging. Management usually starts with minimally invasive tender point injections. Nevertheless, these injections can be burdensome and might even be refused by children or their parents. However, a surgical neurectomy is far more invasive. Treatment with a Lidocaine 5% medicated patch is successfully used in a variety of peripheral neuropathies.AimsThis single center retrospective case series aimed to evaluate the effectiveness and tolerability of lidocaine patches in children with ACNES.MethodsChildren aged under 18 diagnosed with ACNES who were treated with a 10 day lidocaine patch treatment between December 2021 and December 2022 were studied. Patient record files were used to collect treatment outcomes including pain reduction based on NRS and complications.ResultsTwelve of sixteen children (mean age 13 years; F:M ratio 3:1) diagnosed with ACNES started the lidocaine patch treatment. Two patients achieved a pain free status and remained pain free during a 4 and 7 months follow-up. A third child reported a lasting pain reduction, but discontinued treatment due to a temporary local skin rash. Five additional patients reported pain reduction only during application of the patch. The remaining four children experienced no pain relief. No adverse effects were reported.ConclusionLidocaine patches provides pain relief in a substantial portion of children with ACNES.© 2024 The Authors. Pediatric Anesthesia published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

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