Related Experiment Videos
[Ileal occlusion caused by enterolith migrated from Meckel's diverticulum]
F Tosato1, F Corsini, S Marano
1Divisione di IV Semeiotica Chirurgica, Università di Roma La Sapienza.
Annali Italiani Di Chirurgia
|October 3, 2000
Summary
A large Meckel's diverticulum caused a rare intestinal obstruction in a vegetarian patient. A migrated coprolite from the diverticulum led to the blockage, highlighting the need for advanced imaging in diagnosing such cases.
Area of Science:
- Gastroenterology
- Surgical Case Reports
- Abdominal Surgery
Background:
- Meckel's diverticulum is a congenital anomaly that can lead to various complications.
- Intestinal obstruction is a common surgical emergency, but obstruction caused by a coprolite from Meckel's diverticulum is rare.
Observation:
- A healthy, vegetarian patient presented with symptoms of intestinal obstruction including abdominal distension and absence of flatus/feces.
- Physical examination revealed intestinal meteorism and abdominal tenderness. Abdominal X-ray showed an occlusive state with multiple ileal fluid levels.
Findings:
- Exploratory laparotomy revealed a large Meckel's diverticulum (10 cm) with a coprolite that had migrated to the distal ileum, causing obstruction.
- The ileum distal to the obstruction was dilated and rapidly returned to normal caliber after the impacted mass was removed.
Implications:
- This case underscores the importance of considering Meckel's diverticulum as a cause of intestinal obstruction, even in the absence of typical symptoms.
- Preoperative CT scans are recommended for unknown intestinal occlusions to define the exact cause and pathophysiology, potentially avoiding unnecessary surgery.
- Ascending colonoscopy may also aid in diagnosis and management planning for such rare presentations.