Unexplained right upper quadrant abdominal pain? do not forget the cervical spine

Abstract

Background: Right upper quadrant abdominal pain is a common reason for consulting a gastroenterologist. Commonly, it portends pathological processes occurring in the liver, gall bladder, or the gut however, unusual causes have been reported. We report cervical intervertebral disc prolapse causing right upper quadrant abdominal pain.
Methods: Case report utilizing medical records of a 40 year old male who presented with unexplained right upper quadrant abdominal pain.
Results: A self-referral for magnetic resonance imaging of the cervical spine revealed compression of the cervical spine at C3/C4, C4/C5 and C5/C6 levels from disc prolapse and osteophyte. He was managed conservatively with cervical collar and physiotherapy with complete resolution of symptoms.
Conclusion: Prolapsed intervertebral discs affecting the cervical spine should be considered in the evaluation of the patient with unexplained right upper quadrant abdominal pain.

Keywords: Cervical Spine, Disc Prolapse, Upper Quadrant Abdominal Pain