Chronic abdominal pain due to periostitis pubis. A new syndrome.

Periostitis pubis is a clinical syndrome previously undescribed in the literature. It is characterized by lower abdominal pain that may have persisted for several weeks to several years. Physical findings are limited to tenderness in one of the lower abdominal quadrants and over the os pubis on the affected side. The diagnosis can be confirmed by injecting lidocaine hydrochloride into the area of point tenderness over the os pubis, which should relieve tenderness in both sites. An elaborate laboratory workup is not necessary. The condition can be cured with an injection of prednisolone tebutate at the site of tenderness over the os pubis.