An Atypical Presentation of Giant Meckel’s Diverticulitis: A Case Report

¹Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust, Sandwell General Hospital, West Midlands, United Kingdom
²George Eliot NHS Trust, College Street, Nuneaton, Warwickshire, United Kingdom

*Corresponding author: Shafquat Zaman

Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust, Sandwell General Hospital, West Bromwich, West Midlands, B71 4HJ, United Kingdom

Received: November 19, 2019
Published: December 13, 2019

ABSTRACT

Meckel’s Diverticulum (MD) is the most common congenital malformation of the gastrointestinal tract and the only true diverticulum of the small bowel, resulting from the incomplete obliteration of the vitelline duct in the first 5 to 7 weeks of gestation. However, MD is rare, with a traditional prevalence of 2% in the general population. While the majority of MD never become symptomatic, potential for severe complications may arise secondary to diverticulitis with or without perforation, haemorrhage and obstruction. Considerable debate therefore exists whether or not to surgically resect MD found incidentally. Moreover, such complications present considerable diagnostic challenges, and given its rarity, are scarcely considered in the differentials of an acute abdomen.

We present one of the longest cases of giant MD reported in the literature, with non-perforated diverticulitis in a young adult male attending with an acute abdomen and normal inflammatory markers. He underwent successful, un-complicated laparoscopic resection. Histopathological analysis confirmed Meckel’s diverticulitis in the absence of ectopic gastric or pancreatic tissue.

Keywords: Meckels diverticulum; Congential malformations; Laparoscopy; Gastro-intestinal tract