Chronic abdominal wall pain (CAWP) is common and frequently mistaken f
or visceral pain. We determined the stability of this diagnosis with M
ain Outcome Measures of: (a) change of pain intensity after local anes
thetic-corticosteroid injection, (b) pain relief after three or more m
onths follow-up, and (c) costs of diagnostic procedures for visceral c
auses of abdominal pain in patients with confirmed CAWP. Seventy-nine
patients fulfilled tentative criteria for CAWP; 72 (91%) experienced g
reater than or equal to 50% pain relief with anesthetic injection and
were followed for at least three months (mean = 13.8 months). Abdomina
l pain in four patients was later diagnosed as caused by visceral dise
ase. CAWP was confirmed in 56 of remaining 68 patients; 12 of 19 patie
nts with recurrent pain were unavailable for re-injection of anestheti
c. Thirty patients with confirmed CAWP had had diagnostic procedures t
o exclude visceral disease costing almost $700 per patient. CAWP is us
ually easily identified and treated; greater awareness should minimize
misdiagnosis.