Caecal obstruction secondary to a Meckel's diverticulum

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.