Treatment of severe bilateral nerve pain after Pfannenstiel incision

Urology. 2006 Mar;67(3):623.e5-6. doi: 10.1016/j.urology.2005.09.053.

Abstract

The lower transverse abdominal incision, as described by Hermann Johannes Pfannenstiel, cutting both skin and fascia in a transverse fashion was popularized in 1900. Nerve pain syndromes included invalidating pain involving neuroma formation or scar encasement of the ilioinguinal or iliohypogastric nerves. We report a case of a female patient who developed severe pain at the lateral wound edges of a Pfannenstiel incision. The diagnosis of pain of nerve origin was made by infiltration of local anesthetic, after which the pain immediately vanished temporarily. Only complete excision of the scar and involved part of the nerve stopped the pain.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Abdomen / surgery*
  • Autonomic Nervous System*
  • Cicatrix / etiology*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Middle Aged
  • Neuralgia / etiology*
  • Neuralgia / surgery*
  • Severity of Illness Index
  • Urinary Incontinence, Stress / surgery
  • Urologic Surgical Procedures / adverse effects*
  • Urologic Surgical Procedures / methods*