Neonatal intestinal obstruction secondary to a floppy meckel's diverticulum successfully treated by minimal access surgery

• Published in: BMJ Case Reports Vol. 2012
• Main Authors: Aziz, Dayang Anita Abdul, Sehat, Syariz I, Osman, Marjmin, Zaki, Faizah Mohd
• Format: Report
• Language: English
• Published: BMJ Publishing Group Ltd 2012
• ISSN: 1757-790X
• DOI: 10.1136/bcr-2012-006956

Meckel's diverticulum has several known complications including diverticulitis and perforation. The presence of mesodiverticular band or a band from the diverticulum to the anterior abdominal wall is also described and can cause obstruction or rotation of the small bowel leading to volvulus. Meckel's diverticulum is also well known as the lead point for intussusception. It may be lined by ectopic gastric mucosa and can cause life-threatening gastrointestinal bleeding. We report a neonate who presented with acute intestinal obstruction secondary to a large, mobile Meckel's diverticulum which due to a direct compression effect on the adjacent small bowel caused mechanical intestinal obstruction. Diagnosis was confirmed at laparoscopy, and treated by curative surgical resection. This is the first report of a large mobile Meckel's diverticulum causing small bowel obstruction due to direct compression that was managed by minimally invasive surgical resection.