PhD Conferral Mr. Robbert C. Maatman, MSc.

Keywords: chronic abdominal pain, ACNES, pinch, skin branches, treatment

“Anterior cutaneous nerve entrapment syndrome (acnes): an analysis of various subtypes and alternative treatment modalities”

The anterior cutaneous nerve entrapment syndrome (ACNES) sometimes causes chronic abdominal pain in patients. ACNES is caused by pinching the skin branches of the last 6 pairs of intermediate ribs (T7-12). Unfamiliarity with this syndrome among doctors and medical specialists can lead to incorrect diagnoses and unnecessary treatments. Treatment options for ACNES consist of local nerve blockages through injections with lidocaine or surgical nerve removal ("neurectomy"). Research into minimally invasive treatment options such as pulsed radiofrequency has been lacking to date but may be of potential benefit to these patients. Finally, this dissertation examines some ACNES variants to optimize their recognition.