The slipping rib syndrome
E. K. Spence and E. F. Rosato
The slipping rib syndrome is a cause of upper abdominal pain that is not
widely known, possibly because of failure of recognition rather than
infrequent occurrence. The syndrome should be suspected when pain can be
reproduced by a rib-hooking maneuver. However, a thorough evaluation
including intercostal nerve blocks is necessary both to eliminate
coexistent gastrointestinal and psychiatric disorders as a cause of pain
and to assure adequate treatment and a good prognosis. Patients with
obvious slipping ribs appear to benefit from surgical excision.
