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Caecal obstruction secondary to a Meckel’s diverticulum

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: A Meckel's diverticulum is the most common congenital anomaly of the gastrointestinal tract, with a population incidence of approximately 2%. They are known to cause several complications including obstruction, haemorrhage, tumours, infection, and perforation. The vast majority however are asymptomatic and therefore provide a management conundrum when discovered incidentally. We report the case of a 71-year-old female who presented with abdominal pain and bloating. She was taken for a diagnostic laparoscopy which revealed a partial caecal obstruction secondary to a fibrous band running from a Meckel's diverticulum around the caecal pole to the mesentery. The band had likely been severed from the umbilicus but not resected at a previous surgery. The caecal obstruction was relieved and the diverticulum resected uneventfully. This rare case underscores the variety of complications that a Meckel's diverticulum can cause and highlights the difficult management decision when faced with an asymptomatic incidentally found Meckel's diverticulum.

Source: Journal of Surgical Case Reports

DOI: 10.1093/jscr/rjaf210

Authors: Peter Tilleard, Nathan Brunott

Institution: Cairns Hospital

Language: English

Topic: Gastrointestinal disorders and treatments

Subfield: Surgery

Field: Medicine

Domain: Health Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $1,000