Misdiagnosed Meckel's diverticulum with internal hernia mimicking appendicitis:A case report

BACKGROUND Meckel's diverticulum is a common congenital anomaly of the gastrointestinal tract,with a higher incidence rate in children under 7 years old.The condition is characteristically asymptomatic but may become a clinical concern when complications such as intestinal obstruction,bleeding,perforation,or diverticulitis precipitate acute abdominal presentations.CASE SUMMARY This report describes the case of a middle-aged man initially suspected of having acute appendicitis,which rapidly progressed to acute peritonitis with concomitant intestinal obstruction observed during preoperative assessment.Surgical exploration confirmed the diagnosis of Meckel's diverticulum-induced internal hernia,accompanied by intestinal obstruction and necrosis.In addition,the hernial ring base exhibited entrapment resembling a surgical knot.CONCLUSION Meckel's diverticulum is a rare cause of small bowel obstruction in adults,and it should be considered in a differential diagnosis.

Laparoscopic approach to Meckel's diverticulum

AIM: To retrospective review the laparoscopic management of Meckel Diverticulum(MD) in two Italian Pediatric Surgery Centers.METHODS: Between January 2002 and December 2012, 19 trans-umbilical laparoscopic-assisted(TULA) procedures were performed for suspected MD. The children were hospitalized for gastrointestinal bleeding and/or recurrent abdominal pain. Median age at diagnosis was 5.4 years(range 6 mo-15 years). The study included 15 boys and 4 girls. All patients underwent clinical examination, routine laboratory tests, abdominal ultrasound and technetium-99m pertechnetate scan, and patients with bleeding underwent gastrointestinal endoscopy. The abdominal exploration was performed with a 10 mm operative laparoscope. Pneumoperitoneum was establishedbased on the body weight. Systematic overview of the peritoneal cavity allowed the ileum to be grasped with an atraumatic instrument. The complete exploration and surgical treatment of MD were performed extracorporeally, after intestinal exteriorization through the umbilicus. All patients' demographics, main clinical features, diagnostic investigations, operative time, histopathology reports, conversion rate, hospital stay and complications were registered and analyzed.RESULTS: MD was identified in 17 patients, while 1 had an ileal duplication and 1 a jejunal hemangioma. Fifteen patients had painless intestinal bleeding, while 4 had recurrent abdominal pain and exhibited cyst like structures in an ultrasound study. Eleven patients had a positive technetium-99m pertechnetate scan. In the patients with bleeding, gastrointestinal endoscopy did not name the source of hemorrhage. All patients were subjected to a TULA surgical procedure. An intestinal resection/anastomosis was performed in 14 patients, while 4 had a wedge resection of the diverticulum and 1 underwent stapling diverticulectomy. All surgical procedures were performed without conversion to open laparotomy. Mean operative time was 75 min(range 40-115 min). No major surgical complications were recorded. The median hospital stay was 5-7 d(range 4-13 d). All patients are asymptomatic at a median follow up of 4, 5 years(range 10 mo-10 years).CONCLUSION: Trans-umbilical laparoscopic-assisted Meckel's diverticulectomy is safe and effective in the treatment of MD, with excellent results.

Meckel's diverticulum incarcerated in a transmesocolic internal hernia

Intestinal obstruction is a common complication associated with Meckel's diverticulum in adults. The diverticulum itself or its fibrous band can lead to an intestinal volvulus, intussusceptions, or closed-loop obstructions,which require surgery. The incarceration of Meckel's diverticulum in either inguinal or femoral hernia sacs(Littre's hernia) is another, less common, etiology underlying intestinal obstruction. This case report describes a 45-year-old man who had an obstruction associated with a Meckel's diverticulum that passed through a congenital defect in the mesocolon into the right subphrenic space. The patient, who had not undergone abdominal surgery previously, came to the emergency room with acute onset of intermittent epigastric pain and abdominal distention. Computed tomography images showed the presence of a segment of the small bowel and a diverticulum in the right subphrenic space and paracolic gutter. The twisted mesentery and the dilated loops of the proximal small bowel were indicative of an intestinal volvulus and obstruction. Meckel's diverticulum complicated by a transmesocolic internal hernia was diagnosed, and this condition was confirmed during emergency surgery. The patient's postoperativerecovery was uneventful. This case report highlights another presentation of Meckel's diverticulum, that is, in combination with a transmesocolic internal hernia. This etiology may lead to an intestinal volvulus and necessitate early surgery.

Intestinal obstruction caused by torsed gangrenous Meckel's diverticulum encircling terminal ileum

Meckel's diverticulum(MD)is considered the most prevalent congenital anomaly of the gastrointestinal tract. It may result in a number of complications including hemorrhage,obstruction,and inflammation.Obstruction of various types is the most common presenting symptom in the adult population.Loop formations with the end of an MD and adjacent mesentery constricting the distal ileum is an uncommon cause of obstruction. Axial torsion and gangrene of MD is the rarest of the complications.The correct diagnosis of complicated MD before surgery is often difficult because this condition may mimic other acute abdominal pathologies.Delay in the diagnosis of a complicated MD can lead to signifi- cant morbidity and mortality.Here we describe the case of a patient with a very rare form of acute small bowel obstruction secondary to giant torsed gangrenous MD encircling the terminal ileum.To our knowledge, this co-occurrence of axial torsion and a loop-forming mechanism of obstruction has been reported only once in English medical literature.

Meckel's diverticulum bleeding diagnosed with magnetic resonance enterography:A case report

Although the introduction of double-balloon enteroscopy has greatly improved the diagnostic rate, definite diagnosis of Meckel's diverticulum far from the ileocecal valve is still impossible in most cases. We explored the role of magnetic resonance (MR) enterography in detecting bleeding from Meckel's diverticulum that can not be confirmed via double-balloon enteroscopy. This study describes a case of male patient with bleeding from Meckel's diverticulum diagnosed with MR enterography of the small intestine. No bleeding lesion was found via colonoscopy, anal enteroscopy, or oral colonoscopy. MR enterography of the small intestine revealed an occupying lesion of 3.0 cm in the lower segment of the ileum. The patient was transferred to the Department of Abdominal Surgery of our hospital for surgical treatment. During surgery, a mass of 3 cm × 2 cm was found 150 cm from the ileocecal valve, in conjunction with congestion and edema of the corresponding mesangium. Intraoperative diagnosis was small bowel diverticulum with bleeding. The patient underwent partial resection of the small intestine. Postopera-tive pathology showed Meckel's diverticulum containing pancreatic tissues. He was cured and discharged 7 d after operation. We conclude that MR enterography of the small intestine has greatly improved the diagnosis rate of Meckel's diverticulum, particularly in those patients with the disease which can not be confirmed via double-balloon enteroscopy.

Laparoscopic excision of Meckel's diverticulum in children:What is the current evidence?

Complications aroused from Meckel’s diverticulum tend to developed in children. Children presented with abdominal pain, intestinal obstruction, intussusception or gastrointestinal bleeding may actually suffered from complicated Meckel’s diverticulum. With the advancement of minimally invasive surgery (MIS) in children, the use of laparoscopy in the diagnosis and subsequent laparoscopic excision of Meckel’s diverticulum has gained popularity. Recently, single incision laparoscopic surgery (SILS) has emerged as a new technique in minimally invasive surgery. This review offers the overview in the development of MIS in the management of children suffered from Meckel’s diverticulum. The current evidence in different laparoscopic techniques, including conventional laparoscopy, SILS, the use of special laparoscopic instruments, intracorporeal diverticulectomy and extracorporeal diverticulectomy in the management of Meckel’s diverticulum in children were revealed.

Inverted Meckel's diverticulum preoperatively diagnosed using double-balloon enteroscopy

An inverted Meckel’s diverticulum is a rare gastrointestinal congenital anomaly that is difficult to diagnose prior to surgery and presents with anemia, abdominal pain, or intussusception. Here, we report the case of 57-year-old men with an inverted Meckel’s diverticulum, who was preoperatively diagnosed using double-balloon enteroscopy. He had repeatedly experienced epigastric pain for 2 mo. Ultrasonography and computed tomography showed intestinal wall thickening in the pelvis. Double-balloon enteroscopy via the anal route was performed for further examination, which demonstrated an approximately 8-cm, sausage-shaped, submucosal tumor located approximately 80 cm proximal to the ileocecal valve. A small depressed erosion was observed at the tip of this lesion. Forceps biopsy revealed heterotopic gastric mucosa. Thus, the patient was diagnosed with an inverted Meckel’s diverticulum, and single-incision laparoscopic surgery was performed. This case suggests that an inverted Meckel’s diverticulum should be considered as a differential diagnosis for a submucosal tumor in the ileum. Balloon-assisted enteroscopy with forceps biopsy facilitate a precise diagnosis of this condition.

Torsion of Meckel's diverticulum as a cause of small bowel obstruction: A case report

Axial torsion and necrosis of Meckel's diverticulum causing simultaneous mechanical small bowel obstruc-tion are the rarest complications of this congenital anomaly. This kind of pathology has been reported only eleven times. Our case report presents this very unusual case of Meckel's diverticulum. A 41-year-old man presented at the emergency department with complaints of crampy abdominal pain, nausea and re-tention of stool and gases. Clinical diagnosis was small bowel obstruction. Because the origin of obstruction was unknown, computer tomography was indicated. Computed tomography(CT)-scan revealed dilated small bowel loops with multiple air-fluid levels; the oral con-trast medium had reached the jejunum and proximal parts of the ileum but not the distal small bowel loops or the large bowel; in the right mid-abdomen there was a 11 cm × 6.4 cm × 7.8 cm fluid containing cavity with thickened wall, which was considered a dilated bowel-loop or cyst or diverticulum. Initially the patient was treated conservatively. Because of persistent abdominal pain emergency laparotomy was indicated. Abdominal exploration revealed distended small bowel loops proxi-mal to the obstruction, and a large(12 cm × 14 cm) Meckel's diverticulum at the site of obstruction. Meckel's diverticulum was axially rotated by 720°, which caused small bowel obstruction and diverticular necrosis. About 20 cm of the small bowel with Meckel's diverticulum was resected. The postoperative course was uneventful and the patient was discharged on the fifth postopera-tive day. We recommend CT-scan as the most useful diagnostic tool in bowel obstruction of unknown origin. In cases of Meckel's diverticulum causing small bowel obstruction, prompt surgical treatment is indicated; de-lay in diagnosis and in adequate treatment may lead to bowel necrosis and peritonitis.

Giant Meckel's diverticulum: An exceptional cause of intestinal obstruction

Meckel's diverticulum(MD) results from incomplete involution of the proximal portion of the vitelline(also known as the omphalomesenteric) duct during weeks 5-7 of foetal development. Although MD is the most commonly diagnosed congenital gastrointestinal anom-aly, it is estimated to affect only 2% of the population worldwide. Most cases are asymptomatic, and diagno-sis is often made following investigation of unexplained gastrointestinal bleeding, perforation, inflammation or obstruction that prompt clinic presentation. While MD range in size from 1-10 cm, cases of giant MD(≥ 5 cm) are relatively rare and associated with more severe forms of the complications, especially for obstruction. Herein, we report a case of giant MD with secondary small bowel obstruction in an adult male that was suc-cessfully managed by surgical resection and anasto-mosis created with endoscopic stapler device(80 mm, endo-GIA stapler). Patient was discharged on post-operative day 6 without any complications. Histopatho-logic examination indicated Meckel's diverticulitis with-out gastric or pancreatic metaplasia.

Inverted Meckel's diverticulum as a cause of occult lower gastrointestinal hemorrhage

Meckel's diverticulum is a common asymptomatic congenital gastrointestinal anomaly,but rarely it can present with hemorrhage.Over the last few years inverted Meckel's diverticulum has been reported in the literature with increasing frequency as an occult source of lower gastrointestinal hemorrhage.Here,we report a case of a 54-year-old male,who was referred for surgical evaluation with persistent anemia and occult blood per rectum after a work up which failed to localize the source over 12 mo,including upper and capsule endoscopy,colonoscopy,enteroclysis,Meckel scan,and tagged nuclear red blood cell scan.An abdominal computed tomography scan showed a possible mid-ileal intussusception and intraluminal mass.During the abdominal exploration,inverted Meckel's diverticulum was diagnosed and resected.We review the literature,discuss the forms in which the disease presents,the diagnostic modalities utilized,pathological findings,and treatment.Although less than 40 cases have been reported in the English literature from 1978 to 2005,19 cases have been reported in the last 6 years alone(2006-2012) due to improved diagnostic modalities.Successful diagnosis and treatment of this disease requires a high index of clinical suspicion,which is becoming increasingly relevant to general gastroenterologists.

Coexistence of abdominal cocoon, intestinal perforation and incarcerated Meckel's diverticulum in an inguinal hernia: A troublesome condition

Sclerosing encapsulating peritonitis(SEP) is a rare dis-ease entity, in which the small intestine becomes en-cased and mechanically obstructed by a dense, fibrotic membrane. The disorder is characterized as either primary(idiopathic) or secondary to other causes. The idiopathic cases of SEP, which lack any identifiable eti-ology according to clinical, radiological and histopatho-logical findings, are also reported under the designation of abdominal cocoon syndrome. The most frequent presenting symptoms of all SEP cases are nausea, vom-iting, abdominal distention and inability to defecate, all of which are associated with the underlying intestinal obstruction. Persistent untreated SEP may advance to intestinal perforation, representing a life-threatening condition. However, preoperative diagnosis remains a particular clinical challenge, and most diagnoses are confirmed only when the typical fibrous membrane en-casing the small intestine is discovered by laparotomy. Here, we report the clinical presentation of an 87-year-old male with signs of intestinal obstruction and the ul-timate diagnosis of concurrent abdominal cocoon, rightincarcerated Meckel's diverticulum, and gastrointestinal perforation in laparotomy.

Gastrointestinal perforation due to incarcerated Meckel's diverticulum in right femoral canal

Meckel's diverticulum is a very common congenital anomaly of the gastrointestinal tract but many cases remain asymptomatic and are diagnosed incidentally during laparoscopic or other surgical procedures. Cases of femoral hernia involving Meckel's diverticulum are rare, with less than 50 cases reported in the literature since Littre published the first description of this coincident condition over 300 years ago. While all true "Littre's hernias" contain a Meckel's diverticulum, the involved anatomical sites are various, the most common being the inner groin(inguinal), the outer groin(femoral), and the belly button(umbilical). Complications of Littre's hernias include incarceration, strangulation, necrosis, and perforation. Herein, we describe a case of Littre's hernia that involved an incarcerated Meckel's diverticulum in a femoral hernia that was diagnosed upon investigation of symptomology manifesting from perforation and was successfully managed by surgical resection with stapler devices.

Balloon-assisted enteroscopy for suspected Meckel's diverticulum and indefinite diagnostic imaging workup

Meckel’s diverticulum (MD) is estimated to affect 1%-2% of the general population, and it represents a clinically silent finding of a congenital anomaly in up to 85% of the cases. In adults, MD may cause symptoms, such as overt occult lower gastrointestinal bleeding. The diagnostic imaging workup includes computed tomography scan, magnetic resonance imaging enterography, technetium 99m scintigraphy (99mTc) using either labeled red blood cells or pertechnetate (known as the Meckel’s scan) and angiography. The preoperative detection rate of MD in adults is low, and many patients ultimately undergo exploratory laparoscopy. More recently, however, endoscopic identification of MD has been possible with the use of balloon-assisted enteroscopy via direct luminal access, which also provides visualization of the diverticular ostium. The aim of this study was to review the diagnosis by double-balloon enteroscopy of 4 adults with symptomatic MD but who had negative diagnostic imaging workups. These cases indicate that balloon-assisted enteroscopy is a valuable diagnostic method and should be considered in adult patients who have suspected MD and indefinite findings on diagnostic imaging workup, including negative Meckel’s scan.

Laparoscopic surgery for small-bowel obstruction caused by Meckel's diverticulum

A 26-year-old woman was referred to our hospital because of abdominal distention and vomiting. Contrastenhanced computed tomography showed a blind loop of the bowel extending to near the uterus and a fibrotic band connecting the mesentery to the top of the bowel,suggestive of Meckel's diverticulum(MD) and a mesodiverticular band(MDB). After intestinal decompression,elective laparoscopic surgery was carried out. Using three 5-mm ports,MD was dissected from the surrounding adhesion and MDB was divided intracorporeally. And subsequent Meckel's diverticulectomy was performed. The presence of heterotopic gastric mucosa was confirmed histologically. The patient had an uneventful postoperative course and was discharged 5 d after the operation. She has remained healthy and symptom-free during 4 years of follow-up. This was considered to be an unusual case of preoperatively diagnosed and laparoscopically treated small-bowel obstruction due to MD in a young adult woman.

Meckel's diverticulum masked by a long period of intermittent recurrent subocclusive episodes

Meckel's diverticulum(MD) is the most frequent congenital abnormality of the small bowel and it is often diff icult to diagnose.It is usually asymptomatic but approximately 4% are symptomatic with complications such as bleeding,intestinal obstruction,and inflammation.The authors report a case of a 7-year-old boy with a one-year history of recurrent periumbilical colicky pain with associated alimentary vomiting,symptoms erroneously related to a cyclic vomiting syndrome but not to MD.The clinical features and the differential diagnostic methods employed for diagnosis of MD are discussed.

Helicobacter species and gut bacterial DNA in Meckel's diverticulum and the appendix

AIM:To analyse the possible association of various Helicobacter species and certain common gut bacteria in patients with Meckel's diverticulum and appendicitis.METHODS:A nested-polymerase chain reaction (PCR),specific to 16S rRNA of the Helicobacter genus,was performed on paraffin embedded samples,50 with acute appendicitis,50 normal appendixes,and 33 Meckel's diverticulum with gastric heterotopia and/or ulcer.Helicobacter genus positive samples were sequenced for species identification.All samples were also analysed for certain gut bacteria by PCR.RESULTS:Helicobacter pullorum DNA was found in one out of 33 cases and Enterobacteria in two cases of Meckel's diverticulum.Helicobacter pylori (H.pylori) was found in three,Enterobacter in 18,and Bacteroides in 19 out of 100 appendix samples by PCR.Enterococcus was not found in any MD or appendix samples.All H.pylori positive cases were from normal appendixes.CONCLUSION:Helicobacter is not an etiological agent in the pathogenesis of symptomatic Meckel's diverticulum or in acute appendicitis.

Inverted Meckel's diverticulum: Two case reports and a review of the literature

Gastrointestinal surgeons seldom encounter inverted Meckel's diverticulum in their clinical practice. We describe two cases of inverted Meckel's diverticulum. If the patient has a disease-related complication such as intussusception, as with our first case, it can be easily detected. However, if the patient has subacute or chronic symptoms, as with our second case, the diagnosis might be delayed. Regardless of the diseaserelated complication, intussusception of inverted Meckel's diverticulum can be easily managed with laparoscopic single-port surgery.

Meckel's diverticulum manifested by a subcutaneous abscess

This case report describes an extremely rare complication of a Meckel's diverticulum:enterocutaneous fistula of the diverticulum.The presence of Meckel's diverticulum is a well known entity,but subcutaneous perforation of the diverticulum is very rare.Here we report the case of a patient with the complaint of a right lower quadrant abscess,preoperatively diagnosed as enterocutaneous fistula,which was determined intraoperatively to be a fistula resulting from Meckel's diverticulum.

Incarceration of Meckel's diverticulum in a left paraduodenal Treitz' hernia

Meckel's diverticula incarcerated in a hernia were first described anecdotally by Littré, a French surgeon, in 1700. Meckel, a German anatomist and surgeon, explained the pathophysiology of this disease 100 years later. In addition, a congenital paraduodenal mesocolic hernia, known as a Treitz hernia, is a rare cause of small bowel obstruction. These hernias are caused by an abnormal rotation of the primitive midgut, resulting in a right or left paraduodenal hernia. We treated a patient presenting with pain and diagnosed extraluminal air in the abdomen after a computed tomography examination. We performed a laparotomy and found a combination of these two seldomly occurring congenital diseases, incarceration and perforation of Meckel's diverticulum in a left paraduodenal hernia. We performed a thorough review of the literature, and this report is the first to describe a patient with a combination of these two rare conditions. We considered the case regarding the variety of terminology as well as the treatment options of these conditions.

Gallstone ileus associated with impaction at Meckel's diverticulum:Case report and literature review

Gallstone ileus due to erosion of one or more gallstones into the gastrointestinal tract is an uncommon cause of small bowel obstruction. The site of impaction is usually distal ileum, and less commonly the jejunum, colon, duodenum, or stomach. We report a rare case of gallstone ileus with impaction at the proximal small bowel and at a Meckel's diverticulum(MD) in a 64-yearold woman managed with laparoscopic converted to open small bowel resections. Patient was discharged home in stable condition and remained asymptomatic at 6-mo follow up. We review the current literature on surgical approaches to MD and gallstone ileus. Diverticulectomy or segmental resection is preferred for complicated MD. For gallstone ileus, simple enterolithotomy or segmental resection are the most the most favored especially in older co-morbid patients due to lower mortality rates and the rarity of recurrent gallstone ileus. In addition, laparoscopy has been increasingly reported as a safe approach to manage gallstone ileus.