Postherpetic Abdominal Pseudohernia Evaluated by Standing Ultrasonography: A Case Report

Abdominal pseudohernia is a condition characterized by abdominal wall bulging without structural defects. We report a case of pseudohernia following herpes zoster infection diagnosed and followed up using ultrasonography. A 60-year-old woman developed right flank pain with vesicular eruptions, treated with valacyclovir. While her pain improved, she noticed new right lateral abdominal bulging. Standing-position ultrasonography revealed relaxation of the right rectus abdominis muscle without fascial defects, confirming an abdominal pseudohernia. Subsequent ultrasounds showed improvement in muscle relaxation, and abdominal bulging visibly reduced. This case illustrated that point-of-care ultrasonography proved particularly valuable for dynamic evaluation in upright positions and for follow-up of recovery progression, since abdominal pseudohernia manifests as positional muscle relaxation. The modality offers rapid, radiation-free assessment for this rare complication of herpes zoster.