UNILATERAL ABDOMINAL MUSCLE HERNIATION WITH PAIN - A DISTINCTIVE VARIANT OF DIABETIC RADICULOPATHY

Thoracic diabetic radiculopathy causing truncal pain and abdominal mus cle bulging is a recognized though extremely rare complication of diab etes. We report here six cases, describing their clinical features and natural history in detail: the condition affects predominantly middle -aged men, usually on the right side of the abdominal wall, involving three to five adjacent nerve roots between T6 and T12. It may be accom panied by profound weight loss which is not normally due to poorly con trolled diabetes. Complete resolution of this syndrome occurs after 3 to 12 months. (C) 1997 by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.