Postoperative lateral femoral cutaneous neuropathy.

Lateral femoral cutaneous (LFC) neuropathy was diagnosed in a woman who developed pain and paresthesias in the right thigh 6 days after abdominal hysterectomy by a suprapubic approach. After surgery, the patient slept in the fetal position to control the postoperative suprapubic pain. The LFC neuropathy improved with therapy including avoidance of hip flexion during sleep. Prolonged postoperative hip flexion to relieve the abdominal incisional pain provides an explanation for LFC neuropathy after abdominal surgery when the onset of symptoms is delayed.